The Isoun family announced the death of former minister Turner Isoun, who passed away in Abuja on Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Isoun served as Minister of Science and Technology under ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and championed Nigeria’s space and ICT revolution.
According to Premium Times, the Isoun spokesperson, Diseye Timinipre Isoun, confirmed the passing of the family patriarch in a statement, noting that the elder statesman was based in Odi, Bayelsa State. 
In his reaction, Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State described the late Professor as “an academic colossus whose contributions to scholarship and national development are outstanding and immeasurable.”
He stated that Prof. Isoun’s demise was a significant loss not only to the Ijaw nation but also to Nigeria as a whole, The Nation reported.
Isoun’s ‘legacy’ in science and ICT
A Professor of Veterinary Medicine by training, Isoun made his most enduring mark during his tenure as Minister of Science and Technology in the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He was widely credited with driving Nigeria’s early push into information technology and space exploration.
Among his most consequential initiatives was the establishment of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the creation of Galaxy Backbone Plc, a government ICT firm set up to harmonise national communication networks and build a reliable broadband infrastructure across the country.
Under his watch, Nigeria also achieved landmark milestones in space technology, including the launch of NigeriaSat-1 and Nigcomsat 1R, two satellites that marked a defining chapter in the country’s scientific history.
Before his ministerial career, Isoun had already distinguished himself in academia.
He served as the founding Vice Chancellor of the University of Science and Technology in Port Harcourt in the old Rivers State, now known as Rivers State University, laying what Governor Diri described as the solid foundations of the country’s first technology-focused university.
Beyond his academic and governmental roles, Isoun remained deeply connected to his Ijaw heritage.
He served as chairman of the Ijaw National Congress, Central Zone, and played a notable part in the political process that led to the creation of Bayelsa State from the old Rivers State in 1996.
“The Odi-born scientist would be greatly missed for his candour, wise counsel and commitment to Ijaw socio-cultural values,” Governor Diri said, while extending condolences from the Bayelsa State Government to the Isoun family and community.
He urged them to take comfort in the late elder statesman’s lasting contributions to national life.
