NCAA Endorsement Boosts NAF Aviation Training As New Specialists Graduate
By FIDELUS ZWANSON
THE Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says its aviation training standards now meet global benchmarks, thanks to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority’s (NCAA) accreditation and oversight. The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, made this known during the graduation ceremony of three aviation specialist courses at the Air Traffic Services Training Centre (ATSTC) in Kaduna.
Represented by the Air Officer Commanding Air Training Command, AVM Ahmed Dari, Aneke said the NCAA’s rigorous requirements ensure that NAF graduates are equipped to operate in any aviation environment worldwide. He described the ceremony as the result of months of intense training across three programmes: the Standard Flight Dispatch Operations Course, the Air Traffic Control Assistance Course, and the Base Operations Course.
He highlighted the strategic relevance of each field. Flight dispatchers, he said, are “the unseen orchestrators” who plan and coordinate missions; air traffic control personnel are “guardians of the sky,” ensuring safe movements and collision prevention; while base operations officers manage airfields, ground operations, and regulatory compliance.
“These specialisations together strengthen the operational capability of our Air Force and enhance the safety of Nigerian airspace,” he noted, applauding ATSTC instructors for producing world-class aviation professionals.
Aneke also acknowledged President Bola Tinubu’s support to the Armed Forces, adding that the graduates must uphold professionalism, integrity, and continuous learning as they assume operational roles.
Earlier, ATSTC Commandant, AVM Nosiru Folaji, reported that since its establishment in 2017, the centre had trained more than 90 officers in advanced aviation courses and over 1,800 airmen and airwomen in various technical and upgrading programmes. He reminded the graduates that discipline, teamwork, and attention to detail remain the core values of safe flight operations.
