General News
NCAT to Commence Helicopter Training, to Award Degree Course
Captain Mrs Chinyere Kalu, rector, Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, said Helicopter training and Degree programmes will commence at the college this year.
Speaking on the transformation of the college in the past three years, Capt Kalu said training of helicopter pilots will commence as soon as the college takes delivery of its acquired Bell 206 helicopters presently in Lagos.
According to her, it became necessary to introduce helicopter training as 80 percent of helicopter pilots were foreigners being used for off shore oil rigs in the Niger Delta.
“It’s a very sensitive area and key in our economy and should be well secured. Having such operations done by foreigners, you will agree with me that its not in the best interest of our nation”. “If Nigerians are in the forefront in taking over fix wings, i dont see the reason why rotary wings should be left in the hands of foreigners especially the sensitive nature of it. We are very hopeful that it will commence this year, we are at the final stage and we will need a smaller helicopter to start”
Kalu also announced that the college was embarking on refleeting of all its training aircraft in the college as the current ones were old and becoming increasingly difficult to maintain by the college.
“We have 23 aircraft and we need more, we are in the process of re-fleeting because the single engine aircraft we have been flying are being depleted by the day due to age and incidences”
The NCAT boss explained that the college third hangar will be put into use soon after repairs adding that it will take care of the aircraft instead of ferrying them abroad.
She said it was extremely expensive and uneconomical to have these aircraft fixed abroad and returned into the country but added that with such hangar, repairs will be carried out.
With over 500 students in the college, Capt Kalu explained that the college will commence its HND programmes which will increase the students number to about a thousand including those on short courses, three, six and twelve months.
The rector explained that the college was pursuing and processing accreditation for its degree course with the Aviation Accreditation Board International in the USA.
According to Capt Kalu, the college intends to offer courses on aerospace engineering. “We want to offer Degree course along with flying, despatchers course, aviation management and so on. So there are a lot of courses we would want to offer beyond what we are offering now and also in line with aviation training”.
She said more instructors will be employed as soon as the courses commenced.
On the perceived shortage of pilots and engineers in the country, the NCAT boss remarked that the country has produced a lot of jobless pilots and engineers in the country but accused airline operators for going for expatriates at the detriment of trained Nigerian pilots and engineers.
According to her, Nigerian pilots understand the terrain and weather of the country and better trained than their foreign counterparts and appealed to Nigerian operators to be patriotic by employing indigenous pilots.
“My disappointment and discouragement is the fact that our Nigerian businessmen and operators are not patronising home grown pilots and engineers. They will rather employ a fresh horn with 200 hours from the USA or anywhere instead of employing our own home grown well trained pilots who may even have up to 250 or 300 hours”.
Capt Kalu also disclosed that the installation of the colleges runway lights will be completed in two weeks time adding that it will be of immense benefit for both the students for night training and for visitors to land at night.
She said the college was striving hard to meet international standard with the introduction of new innovations in the college.
According to her, IATA in 2012, declared NCAT as the best training institution in Africa while ECOWAS in 2013 declared the college as centre of excellence adding that NCAT will soon be made one stop shop for aviation training.
She expressed disappointment that state governments failed to take advantage of the college to train their indigenes and appealed to various state governments to sponsor their indigenes to be trained in the college and commended the Kano state government for approving the training of 45 cabin crew students at the college.
Capt Kalu announced that the Lagos campus of the college will take off as soon as issues on the establishment were resolved. “By now we ought to have had a campus in Lagos but at the last minute we had a little hitch which made us to slow down but we are pursuing it”
The Rector commended the aviation minister Stella Oduah foresight in the transformation of the industry.
A new MasterCard report has predicted that Africa’s AI economy will more than triple in five years, reaching $16.5 billion by 2030 from $4.5 billion in 2025.
The whitepaper by the global payments technology company, with a presence in over 50 African countries, identifies responsible adoption, stronger data infrastructure, and aggressive skills development as the three pillars that will determine who benefits.
Mark Elliott, division president for Africa at MasterCard, emphasised that Africa stands at an inflection point, where smart technologies have the potential to make a real difference in people’s lives.
He likened AI’s potential to the continent’s leap into mobile money, which bypassed traditional banking infrastructure and brought millions into the financial system.
“Digital innovation, particularly AI, can drive real change on the ground by empowering communities and building a future where everyone participates in the new economy,” Elliott said.
The in-depth study flags several African frontrunners in AI adoption. South Africa tops the list, blending advanced infrastructure with strong research capabilities. It points out that Kenya is making strides with practical AI solutions, from credit scoring to healthcare services in local languages.
Nigeria’s vibrant start-up scene also gets a strong mention for attracting significant venture capital, while Morocco’s strong push in healthcare, agriculture, and energy, underpinned by bold national digital strategies, is another key driver.
Elliott stressed that success depends on powering electricity access, digitisation, and ensuring AI is fuelled by diverse, high-quality local data.
He added that inclusive transformation needs everyone involved, from small businesses to large corporations, policymakers, and communities. “The only good AI is responsible AI,” said Elliot.
Greg Ulrich, MasterCard’s chief AI and data officer, said Africa’s relationship with technology is one of active innovation, pointing to mobile payments as a homegrown success.
“AI is accelerating this transformation, reshaping how people live, work, and connect,” he said. Ulrich described MasterCard’s fraud detection systems, trained in cities like Lagos, Nairobi, and Johannesburg, as proof that global expertise and local talent can combine to deliver secure, real-time services.
He also cautioned that with scale comes responsibility. “Trust is earned, one transaction at a time,” Ulrich said.
He believes that with one of the world’s youngest populations, Africa’s next challenge is turning strategy into delivery, building infrastructure, nurturing talent, and ensuring AI lifts all communities.
The fellows of MTN Media Innovation Programme (MIP) Cohort 4 recently embarked on an immersive tour of Huawei’s Innovation Center, Cloud Service Centre, and Network Support Centre in Lagos, as part of their ongoing industry exposure sessions.
L-R: Isaac Ogugua-Ezechukwu, Programs Administrator, Professional Education, School of Media and Communications, Pan-Atlantic University; Blessings Mosugu, Vice President, MTN Media Innovation Programme Cohort 4; Gavin Geng Xiaoyan, Director of Solution Sales\Chief Technical Officer, Huawei; Vanessa Ukamaka Richard, Secretary, MTN MIP Cohort 4 and Dr Chike Mgbeadichie, Programs Director, Professional Education, School of Media and Communications, Pan-Atlantic University, during the July session of the MTN Media Innovation Program held at the Huawei office in Victoria Island, recently.
At the Huawei Innovation Center, the fellows were introduced to a wide array of next-generation technologies. Demonstrations covered Huawei’s smart city solutions, advanced power technologies, cloud systems, and upgraded router and antenna designs. These solutions represent the core of Huawei’s contributions as a strategic partner in MTN’s journey from a connectivity provider to a digital enabler.
One of the highlights of the tour was a live demo of an AI-powered video generator, which transformed selfies into high-definition 30-second avatar-based videos. The videos, created and delivered within seconds via Bluetooth, showcased the real-time capabilities of 5G.
Speaking on how 5G is transforming digital lifestyle globally, the Deputy Managing Director, Marketing and Solutions at Huawei Nigeria, Gavin Geng, noted that “Huawei’s goal is to bridge the gap between global innovation and local demand by tailoring technology to meet Nigeria’s specific challenges. From delivering Nigeria’s first digital village alongside our partners, to launching Nigeria’s first local cloud service, we are committed to working with our customers to build infrastructure that serve both urban and underserved communities.”
He emphasised Huawei’s commitment to security and cutting-edge innovation, adding that “as an employee-owned company adhering to strict global security standards, we ensure that customers’ data and connectivity remain secure while they benefit from next-gen solutions such as 5G, AI, smart city technologies.”
The session underscored MTN’s readiness to meet the increasing demands of Nigeria’s data-driven population and support the country’s digital transformation goals.
Afterwards, the fellows received certificates to commemorate the visit and proceeded to the Huawei Service Centre. Spanning 4,000 square metres, the facility supports operations in telecoms, finance, transportation, power, and public service.
With a dedicated DevOps team, the centre customises its monitoring systems for different clients. It is ISO27001 certified, and all employees hold security certifications, reflecting its emphasis on data protection and operational excellence.
To wrap up the day, the MIP cohort was hosted to a dinner attended by MTN’s Chief Services and Sustainability Officer, Tobechukwu Okigbo. He encouraged the delegates to maximise the opportunity the programme offers and shared personal insights during an experience-sharing moment.
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has given its Diaspora Front-End Partners (FEPs) 48 hours to obtain and activate their National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment licences on its newly upgraded diaspora enrolment platform.
The commission said the deadline followed the successful completion of a major upgrade aimed at improving the security, efficiency and reliability of NIN registration for Nigerians living abroad.
According to NIMC, the upgraded platform will offer a more seamless and robust service to diaspora applicants, ensuring faster processing and better data protection. To prepare for the transition, all FEPs have been onboarded onto the new system and taken through intensive training to equip them with the knowledge needed for effective management of the platform.
Once compliant partners activate their licences, Nigerians abroad will be able to access NIN enrolment services through them without disruption.
“The Commission apologises for any inconvenience the upgrade process might have caused and has set up a dedicated service team to resolve all issues related to diaspora enrolment,” NIMC said in a statement signed by Dr. Kayode Adegoke, its head of corporate communications.
Diaspora applicants experiencing difficulties have been advised to contact the commission for prompt assistance.
While the new system rolls out overseas, NIN enrolment continues across all centres in Nigeria, with applicants able to locate their nearest centres on the NIMC website. Nigerians at home or abroad can also modify their NIN data via the online self-service portal.
NIMC further encouraged NIN holders to download the NIMC NINAuth App on iOS or Google Play to instantly verify their NIN, control who can access their information, and enjoy secure authentication services.
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