The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) said in a statement that it had been warned by the Italian Space Agency that the Beppo-Sax satellite had reached the end of its life.

"It is expeced to fall within any location inside the equatorial belt in between latitude 4.36 degrees north and south," the agency said, calling on Nigerians to watch out for falling objects.

Nigeria's coastal areas and territorial waters fall within this zone, as does much of eastern and central Africa from Cameroon through to Kenya, and a broad strip through Brazil, Ecuador and South East Asia.

Most of the equator runs over the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, howver.

"This expired satellite space craft may disintegrate into 42 fragments and fall from the sky ... with the probability of causing damage to persons, aircraft, vehicles and immobile structures," NAMA said.

NAMA advised Nigerians, particularly those in the coastal areas, pilots, police and the military not to panic but remain alert and report to the agency any objects falling from the sky.

SPACE.WIRE