The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has said the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is committed to leveraging technical education as a vehicle to develop the highly skilled manpower needed to secure Nigeria’s airspace, territory and people.
Abubakar spoke as a guest of honour at the graduation ceremony of 432 officers, airmen, and airwomen on Wednesday at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Kaduna
He noted AFIT’s crucial role in enhancing the technical capabilities of NAF, stressing that graduates of the institute are central to the strategy in adapting to a technologically evolving defence landscape.
According to him, “AFIT’s dedication to producing technically proficient graduates is essential for ensuring operational efficiency and self-sufficiency.”
He commended the institute’s “shift towards practical-oriented learning and hands-on training,” noting that the approach supports the NAF’s ongoing fleet modernisation efforts, which has reduced reliance on foreign technical training and conserved national resources.
The CAS said, the knowledge acquired by the graduates of the institute will be crucial for maintaining the airworthiness of newly acquired aircraft.
He said NAF has recently acquired 12 new aircrafts, adding that 50 more aircrafts are expected in the near future.
He urged the graduants to contribute to the advancement of indigenous military manufacturing.
Abubakar expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his unwavering support to the NAF, and the Armed Forces of Nigeria as a whole, and to the AFIT governing council for their oversight in steering the institute to its current successes.
Speaking earlier, Sani Rabe, Commandant of AFIT, said the institute is determined to
provide high-quality technical and logistics training to meet the manpower needs of the NAF.
