Space In Africa Young Professionals Awards: Egyptian and Moroccan Talent Win Top Honours

In an achievement that reflects the growing presence of Arab talent in shaping the future of the space industry in Africa, Egyptian engineer Amira Salouma and Moroccan Dr Hicham Oufettoul have won the African Space Young Professionals Award 2026 for the North Africa region, organised by Space in Africa in collaboration with the African Space Agency.

This recognition coincides with the African space economy’s projected growth to US$22.64 billion by year-end, highlighting the need to support and empower emerging talent in the sector.

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How the Laureates Were Chosen: Beating 168 Continental Candidates

The two Arab winners are among eight young African laureates representing North, East, West, and Southern Africa, selected through a rigorous evaluation process that saw fierce competition among 168 candidates across 35 countries.

The evaluation process was based on five core criteria: strategic relevance to African space priorities and continental goals, tangible impact and scalability, leadership and influence, innovation through novel solutions, and professional integrity and credibility.

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Meet the North African Winners: Agency Support Drives Success

In a LinkedIn post, the Egyptian Space Agency congratulated Amira Salouma, noting that the achievement “reflects the strength of Egyptian competencies.” Salouma expressed her gratitude, stating, “Without the support of the Egyptian Space Agency, it would not have been possible to achieve this important milestone in my career,” and extended her thanks to Space in Africa and the African Space Agency for this remarkable achievement.

Amira Salouma is Director of the Space Environment and Space Weather Department at the Egyptian Space Agency. Since earning her master’s degree in space sciences from Helwan University, she has led efforts to protect national satellite missions, focusing on real-time ionospheric monitoring, space radiation testing, and the development of AI-based geomagnetic disturbance forecasting frameworks.

Dr Hicham Oufettoul also shared news of his award on LinkedIn. Dr Hicham Oufettoul, from Morocco, specialises in solar energy and resource management, and was recently named ‘Person of the Year 2026 in Resource Management’ by the Moroccan “Smart City – Benguerir” association.

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Next Steps for the Laureates: The NewSpace Africa Conference

In addition to recognising achievements, the award provides professional development opportunities. The two winners will receive full sponsorship from the African Space Agency to attend the NewSpace Africa Conference from 20 to 23 April 2026 in Libreville, Gabon, where they will be officially honoured alongside the other laureates before African and global space industry leaders.

The African Space Young Professionals Award seeks to foster an inclusive and equitable space sector led by Africa, in line with the African Union’s vision. The organisers—Space in Africa, the African Space Agency, and the Gabonese Agency for Space Studies and Observations (AGEOS)—are committed to making space technology a key driver of sustainable socio-economic development across the continent.

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