A Nigerian-born lawyer and seasoned politician, Owolabi Salis, has etched his name in the annals of history as the first Nigerian to travel to space.
Bellnews reports that Salis was among six civilian passengers aboard Blue Origin’s NS-33 mission, which launched from West Texas, USA, on Saturday, June 29, 2025.
The spaceflight, operated by Jeff Bezos’ aerospace company, Blue Origin, took the crew on a suborbital journey that soared beyond the Kármán line, the internationally recognised boundary of space.
The 10-minute flight reached a peak altitude of 105.2 kilometres, officially qualifying the passengers as space travellers under international spaceflight standards.
Salis’ crewmates on the New Shepard rocket included Allie Kuehner, Carl Kuehner, Leland Larson, Freddie Rescigno Jr., and Jim Sitkin.
In an emotionally charged statement before liftoff, Salis described his voyage as one with deeper significance.
“This mission is more than just a trip into space, it’s a spiritual journey, a call to inspire future generations,” he said.
He added that he hoped the mission would spark curiosity and commitment to space exploration among Africans, especially the youth.
Who Is Owolabi Salis?
Born in Ikorodu, Lagos State, Salis is a man of many accomplishments. He is a chartered accountant and a licensed attorney, qualified to practise law both in Nigeria and the United States.
Salis is also the author of Equitocracy, a thought-provoking political treatise that advocates a democratic structure built on fairness, equity, and inclusion for multicultural societies.
His recent leap into space adds to a lifetime of bold, boundary-pushing adventures. Previously, he became the first Black African to visit both the Arctic and Antarctic within the same season.
Salis is no stranger to the Nigerian political landscape. He has repeatedly contested for the governorship of Lagos State, initially under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2003 and 2007. He later ran under the Action Party of Nigeria in 2007 and as the Alliance for Democracy (AD) candidate in the 2019 general elections.
Following the 2019 gubernatorial contest, Salis filed a legal challenge questioning the victory of Babajide Sanwo-Olu. However, his petition was dismissed by the election tribunal.