In a landmark moment for African space based agricultural research, egusi melon seeds sourced from Oyo State, Nigeria, have been sent into space as part of the global Earth Seeds for Space Initiative.
The project is spearheaded by Dr Temidayo Oniosun, a Nigerian space scientist and Managing Director of Space in Africa.
In collaboration with The Karman Project and Jaguar Space LLC, the initiative aims to study how traditional African crops perform in space environments, a vital step toward sustainable food systems for long-duration missions.
On August 1, 2025, at 4:43 PM Nigerian time 11:43 AM EDT, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral, carrying the seeds as part of a multinational agricultural payload aboard NASA’s Crew‑11 mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
This marks the first time a seed native to West Africa, and the first item from Nigeria, has reached orbit.
Additionally, the egusi seeds will join other culturally significant crops from Egypt, Armenia, and Pakistan in a collaborative scientific initiative aimed at studying how heritage seeds respond to microgravity, further advancing research in seed resilience, food security, and sustainable agriculture.
Source: https://spaceinafrica.com/2025/08/01/nigerias-egusi-seed-sent-to-space-as-part-of-global-research-mission-to-the-iss/