A US-based Nigerian lawyer and politician Owolabi Salis has become the first Nigerian to travel to space, flying aboard Blue Origin’s NS-33 mission on June 29, 2025.
The 10-minute suborbital flight crossed the Kármán line, reaching 105.2 km altitude, and included five other passengers.
Salis, born in Ikorodu, Lagos, is a chartered accountant and attorney licensed in both Nigeria and the U.S.
He described the mission as a spiritual journey aimed at inspiring Africans to explore space.
Known for his adventurous spirit, Salis previously became the first Black African to visit both the Arctic and Antarctic in one season.
He has also had an active political career in Lagos, contesting for governorship under various parties and challenging election results in 2019.
