President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the establishment of an African University of Aerospace and Aviation to be located in Abuja.
The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika made known when he led management team of the Aviation Ministry on a working visit to the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission in Abuja.
Senator Sirika said one billion naira has been budgeted for the take off of the specialised university which will be dedicated to research and development in civil aviation and aerospace technology.
He explained that the University is unique as Nigeria is the first country on the African continent to establish such institution.
He added that this motivated the name ‘’African University of Aerospace and Aviation’’.
The Minister also noted that Aerospace and Civil aviation has been expanded with new frontiers that need the attention of experts thereby positioning Nigeria to play a role and participate effectively.
According to the Minister, “An example is the development of drones or unmanned vehicles that are now taking over the space delivering cargo, delivering mails, delivering things and very soon delivering human beings”
” This is a new frontier in civil aviation that needs to be developed, we started with Brazil in the area of civil aviation, today Brazil is producing aircraft, and we aren’t producing a pin. So I think we should be able to have this University that is dedicated to aerospace and aviation in addition also production of high level manpower’’ Sirika added.
The Minister further stated that graduate of the University will venture into all aspect of Civil aviation and aerospace.
Speaking on the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology in Zaria, Kaduna, viz a viz the new University, Senator Sirika said the College is a skill acquisition centre, to acquire skills to become an air traffic controller, a pilot, or an aircraft engineer.
He added that aviation has gone beyond mere skills acquisition.
The Minister further noted that the University will be a research centre primarily on aerospace and civil aviation matters.
The Executive Secretary, National University Commission (NUC) who received the formal letter of request reiterated the commission’s commitment to ensure that the guidelines for establishing any higher institution in the country is adhere to before granting approval.
Ime N
