Owolabi Salis Becomes First Nigerian to Travel to Space on Blue Origin Flight

US-based Nigerian lawyer and political figure, Owolabi Salis, has made history as the first Nigerian to journey into space. On June 29, 2025, Salis flew aboard Blue Origin’s NS-33 suborbital mission, launched from West Texas alongside five other private astronauts, Allie Kuehner, Carl Kuehner, Leland Larson, Freddie Rescigno Jr., and Jim Sitkin.

The brief but groundbreaking flight crossed the Kármán line widely recognized as the boundary of outer space reaching an altitude of 105.2 kilometres above sea level.

Lasting just 10 minutes, the mission marked another milestone in the commercialisation of space travel under Jeff Bezos’ New Shepard programme, designed to make space accessible to civilians without formal astronaut training.

Salis described the mission as a “spiritual journey” and called on African youth to embrace science, technology, and space exploration. “This mission is more than just a trip into space; it’s a call to inspire future generations,” he said.

A native of Ikorodu in Lagos State, Salis is a chartered accountant and attorney licensed in both Nigeria and the United States. He is also the author of Equitocracy, a political treatise advocating inclusive governance rooted in fairness.

Salis’s spaceflight adds to his record of extraordinary feats. He was previously the first Black African to set foot in both the Arctic and Antarctic within the same calendar year.

In politics, Salis has remained a familiar name in Lagos State, contesting gubernatorial elections under various platforms, including PDP, Action Party of Nigeria, and Alliance for Democracy. Following the 2019 polls, he challenged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s victory, although his petition was eventually dismissed.

Salis's space milestone is being hailed as a proud moment for Nigeria and Africa’s growing engagement with space and scientific innovation.