Nigerian entrepreneur and adventurer Owolabi Salis made history as one of six private passengers on Blue Origin’s NS-33 suborbital mission, which launched from West Texas on June 29, 2025. The spacecraft briefly carried the crew into space, crossing the Kármán line—the internationally recognised boundary of outer space—before returning safely to Earth at a peak altitude of 105.2 kilometres.
The roughly 10-minute flight under Blue Origin’s New Shepard programme highlighted the growing accessibility of space travel for civilians. Founded by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, the initiative allows non-professional astronauts to experience space without the extensive training normally required. Salis described the journey as a spiritual and inspiring mission, aiming to encourage African youths to pursue careers in science, technology, and space exploration.
A native of Ikorodu, Lagos State, Salis is both a chartered accountant and lawyer, licensed in Nigeria and the United States, and the author of Equitocracy, a political work promoting justice and inclusivity. He has a history of record-breaking feats, including being the first Black African to visit both the Arctic and Antarctic in the same season.
In politics, Salis has actively contested the Lagos State governorship under multiple party platforms, including PDP, Action Party of Nigeria, and Alliance for Democracy, demonstrating his enduring commitment to civic engagement. His historic space journey not only marks a personal milestone but also signals growing African presence and inspiration in global space exploration.
