NCAT tackles aviation infrastructure deficit, unveils plans for extra simulator

Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, NCAT, Zaria, has said it is taking steps to address the infrastructure gap in the country’s aviation industry.

NCAT’s Rector, Dr Danjuma Ismaila, also disclosed plans to acquire an ERJ-145 full flight simulator to boost training of pilots.

Ismail stated that the simulator would complement the existing Boeing 737 flight simulation which the federal government already acquired.

He spoke during the opening ceremony of the League of Airports and Aviation Correspondents, LAAC, training course held at the college in Zaria and sponsored by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.

According to Ismail, despite some challenges faced at NCAT, including inadequate accommodation, the college was striving to become the country’s leader in manpower development.

He said NCAT was constructing a 150-room additional hostel to provide recurrent training for pilots in the country, and reduced the need for them to travel overseas for training.

He said: “Right now, we have only about 120 rooms. Construction has started to increase our hostel capacity. Once completed, it will enable us to admit and train more students across various aviation disciplines.”

He also  said the college was adopting the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO’s, decarbonization policy to reduce the aviation industry’s carbon footprint.

He said: “By adopting environmentally friendly sustainability programmes, the college hopes to earn carbon credits.”

On his part, Chairman of LAAC, Mr Idris Suleiman, commended NCAT for its efforts in promoting aviation development in the country.

He urged the college to continue designing programs that meet the fast-evolving trends in the industry and to provide training that meets the needs of airlines, aviation agencies, and other players in the value chain.

He said: “We live in a time when aviation is undergoing rapid transformation—driven by technology, sustainability goals, safety imperatives, and an increasingly interconnected world.

“As such, it is critical that aviation journalists are equipped not only with factual accuracy but also with a nuanced appreciation of the technical and policy frameworks that govern this dynamic industry.”