Egusi melon seeds from Oyo State, long embedded in Yoruba and Igbo culinary traditions, have become the first items from Nigeria and West Africa to journey into space. The mission is part of the global Earth Seeds for Space Initiative, spearheaded by Dr. Temidayo Isaiah Oniosun, founder and Managing Director of Space in Africa, in collaboration with The Karman Project and Jaguar Space LLC.
On July 31, 2025, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the payload, carrying the egusi seeds onboard NASA’s Crew‑11 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The seeds remained aboard the ISS for several days before returning to Earth aboard the Crew‑10 mission, landing in the Pacific Ocean on August 9, 2025.
The mission’s scientific aim is to study how the space environment, specifically microgravity and radiation, affects seed germination, viability, metabolism, and genetic integrity. Post-flight analysis is being undertaken in collaboration with the University of Florida (led by Dr. Wagner Vendrame) and other research partners.
Beyond science, the cultural symbolism is potent: Egusi, a widely consumed staple, now represents Nigeria and West Africa in space. Dr. Oniosun highlighted its importance, noting that egusi encapsulates heritage while serving as a bridge between everyday life and aspirations beyond Earth.
As he put it: “If we can send Egusi to space, we can send more: More people, more ideas, more technology.” This reflects a broader ambition to integrate African agricultural heritage into space exploration, ensuring the continent’s active participation rather than passive consumption in future space science.
The Earth Seeds for Space Initiative is now entering its analysis and public engagement phase. Returned samples are undergoing laboratory investigations to measure physical, metabolic, and molecular changes, with results expected to inform future astro-agricultural strategies.
This mission not only marks Nigeria’s first agricultural payload to space but also sets a precedent for future African-led scientific and space-agricultural collaboration.
