US-based Nigerian lawyer and politician, Owolabi Salis, has etched his name into history as the first Nigerian to travel to space. He was among six passengers aboard Blue Origin’s NS-33 mission, which successfully launched from West Texas on June 29, 2025.
The suborbital flight, conducted under Blue Origin’s New Shepard program—founded by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos—reached a peak altitude of 105.2 kilometers, crossing the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space.
Salis was joined on the mission by fellow civilian astronauts Allie Kuehner, Carl Kuehner, Leland Larson, Freddie Rescigno Jr., and Jim Sitkin. The entire flight lasted about 10 minutes, marking yet another milestone in the era of private space travel.
Ahead of the launch, Salis described his participation as deeply symbolic. “This mission is more than just a trip into space—it’s a spiritual journey and a call to inspire future generations,” he said. He expressed hope that his experience would ignite interest in space exploration across Africa.
Born in Ikorodu, Lagos State, Salis is a chartered accountant and a practicing attorney licensed in both Nigeria and the United States. Beyond his legal and financial credentials, he is no stranger to extraordinary feats. He previously became the first Black African to visit both the Arctic and Antarctic within the same season.
In addition to his professional achievements, Salis has been a notable figure in Nigerian politics. He sought the governorship of Lagos State on multiple occasions—running under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2003 and 2007, the Action Party of Nigeria (APN) in 2007, and later as the Alliance for Democracy (AD) candidate in the 2019 elections. Although he contested the 2019 election results, his petition was dismissed.
