US-based lawyer Owolabi makes history as first Nigerian to travel to space

Nigerian-born lawyer and politician, Owolabi Salis, has etched his name into the history books by becoming the first Nigerian to travel to space.

Salis was one of six passengers aboard Blue Origin’s NS-33 mission, which successfully launched from West Texas on June 29, 2025. The landmark spaceflight was a suborbital mission operated by Jeff Bezos’ aerospace company, marking another milestone in the era of commercial space travel.

Joining Salis on the 10-minute journey were Allie Kuehner, Carl Kuehner, Leland Larson, Freddie Rescigno Jr., and Jim Sitkin. The flight took the crew beyond the Kármán line—the internationally recognized boundary of space—reaching a peak altitude of 105.2 kilometres.

According to Space in Africa, the mission offered passengers a brief but extraordinary experience of weightlessness and a breathtaking view of Earth’s curvature before safely descending back to the launch site.

With this feat, Salis joins the ranks of citizen astronauts who have ventured into space under the New Shepard programme, a private spaceflight initiative by Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos.

Speaking before liftoff, the lawyer said the journey was not just a scientific expedition but a spiritual one.

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

Salis also expressed hope that his journey will inspire interest in space exploration across Africa.

Born in Ikorodu, Lagos, Salis is a chartered accountant and attorney with licences to practise in both Nigeria and the United States.

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

The lawyer is no stranger to adventure, as his previous expedition included becoming the first Black African to visit both the Arctic and Antarctic within the same season.

Over the years, Salis has also been a recurring name in Lagos politics.

He sought the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship ticket in 2003 and 2007, ran under the Action Party of Nigeria in 2007, and was the Alliance for Democracy’s flagbearer in the 2019 elections.

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