Aviation industry stakeholders have over the years insisted that the best period of aviation manpower development in Nigeria was during the period the erstwhile national carrier; Nigerian Airways Limited (NAL). The former Chairman of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Dr Steve Mahonwu, would recall with nostalgia how the defunct airline trained him and others and had noted that it was the crop of NAL trained pilots and engineers that held sway in the industry and provided the key personnel that pivoted the sector for decades.
But after the liquidation of Nigerian Airways, there was dearth of technical personnel because during the interregnum before the emergence of new airlines, many Nigerian pilots and engineers left the country and existing airlines began to rely on expatriates. Seasoned aviators have said variously that it was not only that it costs airlines hugely to employ expatriates; the expatriates majorly spend six months in Nigeria and six months holidaying overseas.
The airlines pay them more and provide them luxurious accommodation and other outrageous packs. Yet, airline operators say that best of the expatriates do not come to Nigeria or most African countries. “Those that are good stay in their countries,” said a Nigerian major operator.
Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria has always provided the need technical personnel in the aviation industry. But before its reawaking there was a time the federal government allowed the college to decay. It was abandoned. That was the hiatus that caused the draining of airlines funds, as they literally bled their financials paying expatriate pilots and engineers. NCAT does not only train pilots and aircraft engineers. They train air traffic controllers, aeronautical engineers, marshallers, fire fighters and others.
Recently the Rector and Chief Executive of the college, Captain Alkali Mahmud Modibbo discussed the readiness of the school to train more technical personnel, the new training facilities in the school and the mileage it has gained over the years.
Modibbo said the college, which was established in 1964 was approved by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) as an Approved Training Organization (ATO) and is designated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) as a Regional Training Centre of Excellence (RTCE). It is also a Council Member of the Association of African Aviation Training Organizations (AATO) and a Non-Accredited Educator Member of the Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI).
“The College also has full and interim accreditations from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) for the conduct of Higher National Diploma (HND) and National Diploma (ND) courses in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Technology, Electrical/Electronics, and Aviation Management. The College is a member of the ICAO TRAINAIR Plus Steering Committee (TPSC),” the Rector said.
Modibbo explained that the college offers ab-initio and advance aviation training using state-of-the-art facilities and that the college has just acquired new training equipment like the Boeing B737NG Full Flight Simulator, Six Diamond DA40NG aircraft, One Diamond DA42NG aircraft, Computer Numeric Control (CNC) Mechanical workshop equipment, Thales CVOR/DME Navigational Aids equipment for maintenance training, Thales DVOR/DME and ILS NAV (Instrument Landing System/ Navigational) Aids equipment for flight training and Automated Fire/Smoke Aircraft Training Simulator.
He said that so far the college has trained 3376 graduates in the past five years, bagged ICAO Global Aviation Training (GAT) Awards, recorded the highest number of Trained Instructors 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, recorded the highest number of ICAO Courses conducted 2015 and 2016 and had eight ICAO Approved Standardized Training Packages (STPs) developed.
The Rector said there are efforts to reposition the Nigerian aviation industry for speedy growth to reflect the changing times.
“No doubt that the aviation industry is facing its most challenging period. Globally, airlines are facing a ’throat-cutting’ competition especially from low-cost airlines amidst dwindling passengers due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic, which affected the financial capacity and operational services of airlines, is worst in Africa. While the challenges have already exposed the over capacities of certain airlines abroad, it is estimated that nearly half of Africa’s seven million aviation and tourism industry-related jobs have been lost in year 2020.
“The airlines continue to face unpredictable cost, due to the devaluation of the local currency against the international currencies and irregular availability of aviation fuel, these among others, add up to the dreaded operational cost and technical input problems. As a result, operational services deteriorated when normal flight services were resumed, followed by frequent scheduled flight challenges and exorbitant ticket prices. This could be a symptom of the larger financial strain that airlines currently face. Fortunately here in Nigeria the airlines are tremendously picking up the tempo with an encouraging passenger turn out,” he noted.
He said the aviation industry would require a well-orchestrated recovery plan supported by the government and external agencies to overcome its current challenges and expressed the belief that it is time for the continued financial support for the industry through direct cash injections, provision of credits, offer of deferrals and discounts on charges and most especially concessions.
“Governments and donor institutions should provide the funds to ensure the survival and the business continuity of key stakeholders of the aviation industry as recommended by the African Aviation Industry Group (AAIG) in 2020. Without sounding very conservative, the federal government via the Ministry of Aviation has been investing in standardising infrastructure across the various airports before even thinking of privatisation, partnership or concession. Aviation operational adequacy and efficiency will go a long way in boosting air travel, which is still the preferred and most safe option of mobility that has enormous impact on economic development in any nation, especially where the other options like speed rails are under-developed.
“It will be unfair not to mention, here that the Ministry of Aviation under the dynamic leadership of the Hon. Minister, Senator Hadi Abubakar Sirika. This government has and will continue to upgrade infrastructure and services to the Nigerian aviation populace, in terms of security, safety and comfort of aviation end users,” he added.
The college still holds the hope that Nigeria can train Nigerians to fully man the aviation sector.
