US-based lawyer becomes first Nigerian to travel to Space

A US-based Nigerian lawyer, Owolabi Salis, has made history as the first Nigerian to travel to space.

Chief Owolabi was one of six passengers on Blue Origin’s NS-33 mission, which launched its 13th human space flight from West Texas on Sunday, June 29, 2025. 

The flight, which carried six passengers, soared past the Karman line (100 km/62 miles) to reach an apogee of i05.2 km (345,044 feet) offering the crew a breathtaking view of Earth and a life-changing experience of weightlessness. 

The suborbital flight, operated by Jeff Bezos’ aerospace company, Blue Origin, lasted 10 minutes. 

Other passengers included Allie Kuehner, Carl Kuehner, Leland Larson, Freddie Rescigno Jr., and Jim Sitkin. 

Speaking before the flight, Owolabi described his journey as a “convergence of science and spirit”

“This mission is more than just a trip into space, it’s a spiritual journey, a call to inspire future generations,” he said.

A champion of community development and youth empowerment, Salis hopes his historic flight will ignite interest in space exploration across Africa. 

Born in Ikorodu, Lagos, Owolabi is a chartered accountant and attorney licensed to practise in both Nigeria and the United States.

He is also the author of Equitocracy, a book that proposes a democratic system rooted in fairness and equity across diverse communities. 

Owolabi is no stranger to adventure as he was the first Black African to visit both the Arctic and Antarctic in the same season.

He is also known in Nigerian politics, having contested several elections, including as the Alliance for Democracy’s governorship candidate in Lagos in 2019. 

Following the 2019 poll, he challenged the outcome in court, questioning Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s victory, but the tribunal ruled against him.

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