A Nigerian-born lawyer and politician, Owolabi Salis, has made history as the first Nigerian to travel to space.
Salis was one of six private astronauts aboard Blue Origin’s NS-33 suborbital mission, which launched from the arid plains of West Texas on June 29, 2025.
His crewmates included Allie Kuehner, Carl Kuehner, Leland Larson, Freddie Rescigno Jr., and Jim Sitkin.
According to Space in Africa, the 10-minute suborbital flight took the crew past the Kármán line, the internationally recognised boundary of space, reaching a peak altitude of 105.2 kilometres.
The initiative, spearheaded by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has enabled civilians to experience space without the conventional rigours of astronaut training.
Ahead of liftoff, Salis emphasised the transcendent nature of the experience.
“This mission is more than just a trip into space, it’s a spiritual journey, a call to inspire future generations,” he said.
Salis also expressed a desire for his feat to kindle curiosity and ambition in African youths regarding science, technology and space exploration.
peaking before liftoff, the lawyer said the journey was not just a scientific expedition but a spiritual one.
Salis, a native of Ikorodu, Lagos, is a chartered accountant and attorney with licences to practise in both Nigeria and the United States.
He is the author of Equitocracy, a book proposing a democratic system rooted in fairness and equity across diverse communities.
The lawyer is no stranger to adventure, as his previous expedition included becoming the first Black African to visit both the Arctic and Antarctic within the same season.
Over the years, Salis has also been a recurring name in Lagos politics.
He sought the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship ticket in 2003 and 2007, ran under the Action Party of Nigeria in 2007, and was the Alliance for Democracy’s flagbearer in the 2019 elections.
Following the 2019 poll, he challenged the outcome in court, questioning Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s victory, but the tribunal ruled against him.
