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NASENI, AFIT Strengthen Ties on AAVDI, Made-in- Nigeria Helicopter
Dr. Bashir Gwandu, Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, National Agency for Science and Engineering (NASENI) has called for stronger collaboration with the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Kaduna, Kaduna State for the smooth take-off of the permanent site of Aeronautics and Air Vehicle Development Institute (AAVDI), an Institute under NASENI.
Dr Bashir Gwandu, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO), National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) explaining a point to Air Vice Marshall (AVM) S.L. Rabe, Commandant, Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Kaduna when he paid him a working visit at NASENI headquarters in Abuja on 19 July, 2023.
The institute is located within AFIT Complex in Kaduna.
The NASENI boss who disclosed this on Wednesday when the new Commandant of AFIT, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) S.L. Rabe paid him a courtesy visit at NASENI headquarters Abuja, congratulated the new AFIT boss on resumption of duty.
AVM Rabe came to NASENI with AFIT Provost, Professor Dauda Mohammed; Director, Quality Assurance, AFIT, Dr I. Yahuza and Director of Projects, AFIT, Group Cpt Ahmed. He said his visit to NASENI was to congratulate the EVC on his appointment as well as touch base with him on the collaboration for the establishment of NASENI Institute in Kaduna.
He said it was an honour and he looked forward to strengthening ties with NASENI to develop AADVI and also fast track the on-going work on made-in-Nigeria helicopter. He promised to work with NASENI and asked that AFIT staff should be part of trainings for unskilled talents such as welding, etc. “I am of the opinion that the AFIT staff should be part of the NASENI trainings to gain knowledge from the trainings.”
Dr. Gwandu informed him that he was barely two months on the job since his appointment and that he has been visiting NASENI Institutes to see what some of them are doing. “Surely, our work with the Air Force and the military establishment are areas that I want to focus on because there are some of our key projects that AFIT is championing and that cooperation is very important to us in particular and to the country.”
He said the main reason for having the helicopter and the AAVDI is for Nigeria to be self-reliant in aviation technology, noting that there will be manufacturing of components for the helicopter and other aircrafts that NASENI can produce. “We can train people to learn to produce the components. “Iike I said, we have been looking at different components of aircrafts in particular and how we can penetrate that industry”
“We produce a lot of titanium in this country, as we know the body of aircrafts in particular use composite materials which do not work with aluminum as we all know because of corrosion. One of the key projects I am working on is getting a team to work on Titanium.
“I have companies that I am talking to courtesy of your colleague at NASENI. We will work with what we have to produce some of the parts. We have Institutes like HEDI in Kano that produce hydraulics that is needed in aviation. We are trying to form a team that we can train in different areas of aerospace such as satellites, down to aircraft aviation.
He said “one of the key projects we’ve discussed on Airbus is the MRO in Abuja. Instead of taking all our aircrafts out, we want to establish an MRO here so that we can do it here. Why Abuja is important is because it is centre of Africa. The distance to anywhere from Abuja is not more than five hours. It is the most central location and also not much rain activities as much as it is in other places”
On training on aircraft parts and systems including Avionics, he said NASENI was interested in developing that areas that were earlier mentioned. “We are just starting and we have to start from somewhere. We have to do something fast or else we will find ourselves lagging behind. Most of the advanced countries are making money mainly from high-tech that we do. We need to be there and compete with them. That is the thinking,” Dr. Gwandu added.
The Air Force Institute of Technology has already provided land/space for the construction of NASENI’s Aeronautics and Air Vehicle Development Institute, including other necessary infrastructures for the smooth take-off of the projects; and also to provide counterpart technical team during aviation equipment installation and test-running.
The AFIT is also to provide training on helicopter piloting, maintenance of helicopters and development of Maintenance, Repairs and Overhaul (MRO) plans; provide counterpart technical team required for hangar development and testing as well as provide technical team for avionics and reverse engineering of Dynali helicopter.
On its part, NASENI would work with AFIT on prefabricated structures/homes in areas where there is deficiency, provide technical team with respect to setting up AFIT’s Laser Cutting machine and automation systems.
The Agency will also provide counterpart technical team required during skills acquisition programmes, hands-on training workshop, seminars, conferences and other trainings as well as provide AFIT recommended science kits.
In December 21, 2021, a presidential order was given for relocation of the NASENI Made-in-Nigeria helicopter project to AFIT and also the establishment of the AAVDi within AFIT
The UK Government has announced the appointment of Mr Peter Vowles as the next British High Commissioner to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Mr Vowles succeeds Dr Richard Montgomery CMG and is expected to take up his post in Abuja in September 2026. Dr Montgomery remains in post until that time.
Mr Vowles brings extensive diplomatic and development experience to the role, having served as His Majesty’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe from 2023 to 2026 and previously as Ambassador to Myanmar from 2021 to 2022.
He has held senior leadership positions across the FCDO and its predecessor department DFID, including as Transformation Director and Director for Asia, Caribbean and Overseas Territories.
Earlier in his career, Mr Vowles worked in international development across South Asia, Central Africa and East Africa, including postings in Bangladesh, India, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya. He began his career in Zimbabwe, where he worked in education and development.
Peter Vowles said: “I am honoured to be appointed as British High Commissioner to Nigeria. Nigeria is a country of immense importance to the United Kingdom, and I look forward to working closely with Nigerian partners to strengthen our relationship across trade, development and security.”
World Bank has ranked the Apapa and Tin Can Island Port complexes in Lagos among the world’s 20 most improved ports in its 2025 Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), released in June 2026.
The ranking places both ports in the “Top 20 Port Improvement Since 2020” category, reflecting significant gains in operational efficiency and vessel turnaround time.
The CPPI is a global benchmark used to assess the efficiency of container ports based on factors such as cargo handling speed, ship turnaround time and overall logistics performance.
According to the report, the improvement highlights ongoing reforms and modernization efforts within Nigeria’s maritime sector.
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mr Abubakar Dantsoho, attributed the recognition to ongoing policy reforms and infrastructure upgrades in the sector.
He said the development reflects the impact of economic policies of President Bola Tinubu and the support of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola.
“With the investor-friendly policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu providing the impetus for increased investment to drive our port infrastructure and equipment modernisation programme, coupled with the unflinching support of the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, we have all it takes to further enhance trade facilitation, improve competitiveness and boost the national economy,” he said.
The NPA said the recognition is expected to strengthen investor confidence in Nigeria’s maritime sector and enhance the country’s position as a regional trade and logistics hub.
It noted that improvements in port operations are already contributing to increased efficiency in cargo movement and reduced delays at key terminals.
The authority also pointed to ongoing efforts to modernise port infrastructure and expand digital systems aimed at improving service delivery.
Earlier in February 2026, the NPA said the federal government had intensified efforts to position Nigeria as a leading maritime destination through port rehabilitation and modernization projects.
It also highlighted public-private partnership initiatives, including developments at the Lekki Deep Sea Port, as part of broader reforms aimed at improving efficiency and attracting investment.
The CPPI ranking is expected to further boost Nigeria’s maritime profile and encourage additional investment in the sector.
As digital payment adoption continues to grow across Nigeria and emerging markets, the next phase will depend not just on innovation, but on the strength, reliability, and trustworthiness of the infrastructure behind it.
While the ecosystem has made clear progress in recent years, trust remains a critical issue for users, businesses, and operators alike. Questions around resilience, security, interoperability and transaction reliability continue to shape how the market evolves and how confidently digital payments can scale.
These issues will be central to the deliberations at Digital Pay Expo 2026, where fintech leaders, payment operators, and other ecosystem stakeholders will gather under the theme, “Seamless Digital: Fostering Pan-African Market Expansion in the Era of AI.”
PalmPay’s participation reflects its continued commitment to building trusted and scalable payment infrastructure, while contributing to the broader industry efforts to strengthen systems, standards, and partnerships needed to support long-term ecosystem growth.
Speaking ahead of the event, Olorunfemi Hanson, Head of Marketing and Communications at PalmPay Nigeria, said: “As the financial services ecosystem continues to grow, trust and reliability become even more important.
“The industry’s next phase will be shaped not only by innovation, but by the strength of the infrastructure supporting it. Digital Pay Expo provides an important platform to address the resilience, interoperability, and trust issues that will shape the future of digital payments growth across Africa.”
The event, scheduled to be held from the 17th to the 18th of June, 2026, will feature Chika Nwosu, Managing Director of PalmPay Nigeria, alongside other distinguished guests, including the Director-General, Payment System Management Department (PSMD), Central Bank of Nigeria. The event will examine how the industry can balance innovation, regulation, and scalability while strengthening trust across the digital payments value chain.
For PalmPay, this event reinforces its role in supporting a more resilient, secure and scalable payments ecosystem for Nigeria and emerging markets more broadly.
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