Guest Post: From Vision to Strategy: How RIIS Is Accelerating Space Ecosystem Development in Africa

Mura Space is proud to offer this blog as a space for diverse, engaging and forward thinking conversations surrounding the growth and success of entrepreneurial commercial space capabilities across the African continent. The views expressed in this guest post are solely those of the contributing author and do not constitute an endorsement by Mura Space Pty Ltd, its officers, directors, employees or shareholders.

The space sector in Africa is on the verge of growth and entering a defining moment.  In 2021, it was valued at a substantial £15.9 billion and has been projected to grow further to £18.5 billion by 2026 (Innovate UK, 2025). The sector is also estimated to provide employment for over 19,000 individuals across the continent (UK Space Agency, 2025).

As countries across African recognise the value of space technologies in improving quality of life, transforming economies, enhancing resilience, and unlocking new industries, the question remains how to exploit this potential sustainably. Approaching this with a systemic perspective to develop a strong, coordinated, and sustainable space ecosystem—integrating technological, social, and economic aspects—especially in nations where the sector is still new and developing, offers a way to make sustainable use of this potential.

This is the challenge RIIS set out to solve.

Journey to the Space Ecosystem Development Toolkit (SEDT)

RIIS, supported by the United Kingdom International Development (UKID) through the RISA Fund, embarked on a multi-year journey to understand and strengthen the space innovation ecosystems in East Africa.

Working closely with key local stakeholders, including space agencies, RIIS conducted detailed ecosystem reviews, stakeholder maps, co-created interventions, and developed roadmaps, refining the methodology into a practical resource that can be used by space ecosystem stakeholders in Africa and beyond. Through this process, RIIS discovered that although the potential of these emerging space ecosystems was immense, so were the gaps.

A major gap in space ecosystems was the lack of a unified framework to guide ecosystem-strengthening discussions and sector development. It was identified that the development of the space sector was largely fragmented and often siloed.  Across the various metrics of maturity assessed, informed by the IDIA Ecosystem Strengthening Goals^[1], namely building human capital, access to finance, supportive markets and infrastructure, policies and regulations, innovation culture, networking assets, equitable and inclusive participation, pathways to scale and a collective approach, it was noted that, critical elements like building human capital, access to finance, supportive markets and infrastructure, equitable and inclusive participation, and policies and regulations were advancing at different paces. The opportunity was clear: Africa needed a practical and adaptable tool/framework for building informed and data-driven space ecosystems.

As the opportunity presented itself to support the development of space ecosystems in emerging nations, through a unified framework, the Space Ecosystem Development Toolkit (SEDT) became the foundation.

The SEDT was a product of practical real-time experience, refined across multiple national contexts, applied to various sectors, and designed to build inclusive ecosystems. At the core, the SEDT provides a structured, user-friendly framework for understanding the maturity of the ecosystem in question, identifying the gaps and designing targeted interventions.

The toolkit follows a five-step process that guides users from big-picture strategy to actionable implementation:

• Define the vision, objectives, and scope

• Select a fit-for-purpose assessment framework

• Map the ecosystem and categories stakeholders

• Conduct an in-depth ecosystem assessment and situational analysis

• Design interventions supported by a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) framework

Figure 1:Five-step SEDT Process

This approach ensures that ecosystem development is coordinated, evidence-based, and aligned with national priorities, and not developed in isolation or based on assumptions.

Why This Toolkit Matters

Based on the understanding that Africa’s space sector is uniquely positioned for growth,

The SEDT ensures:

1. Collaboration amongst diverse stakeholders around a common vision

2. Clarity on  how to operate in complex and fast-changing environments

3. Decision-makers are supported with practical and strategic guidance on developing their ecosystem

4. Long-term sustainability through research-driven insights

5. Inclusion as a core principle, not an afterthought

Ecosystems thrive on the support of various actors. To enable this diverse ecosystem participation, the toolkit is designed to be easily used by national space agencies, policymakers, research institutions, private companies, or development partners. The Toolkit gives each stakeholder who uses it a clear and dependable starting point and a clear pathway forward.

Benefits of the SEDT

The SEDT was designed with a broad ecosystem in mind, using principles of ecosystem building as its foundation. This process ensures that each user obtains the following:

• A clear understanding of the ecosystem’s maturity, providing the knowledge base needed to develop targeted interventions that support its ongoing growth.

• A comprehensive map of key stakeholders and their interactions, enabling stronger collaboration, reducing siloed efforts, and minimising duplication.

RIIS Is Here to Support Your Journey

If your work is in the space or adjacent sectors and you are interested in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the ecosystem across technological, social, and economic dimensions, the SEDT is ideal for developing ecosystem-led approaches.

While the SEDT is built to be used independently, many organizations benefit from customised ecosystem support, strategic facilitation, and deeper advisory engagements.

RIIS offers tailored services that include:

1. Guided application of the Toolkit

2. Full ecosystem assessments

3. Roadmap development

4. Stakeholder engagement facilitation

5. Monitoring, evaluation and learning support

They will walk the journey with you — from diagnosis to implementation.

Conclusion

Africa’s space future will be defined by the ecosystems we build today. The SEDT is a practical, research-driven tool to help you do exactly that.

👉 Download the Space Ecosystem Development Toolkit (SEDT): https://enablinginnovation.africa/space-ecosystem-development-toolkit/

👉 Get in touch with RIIS for customised support or collaborative opportunities: lindokuhle.Simelane@riis.africa or yankho.likaku@riis.africa

Let’s build thriving, resilient, inclusive space ecosystems across Africa — together.

^[1] Strengthening Innovation Ecosystems. 2021. https://www.idiainnovation.org/innovation-ecosystems