NCAT Reaffirms Commitment to Aviation Excellence as LAAC 2025 Training Kicks Off in Zaria
The Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, officially commenced the 2025 edition of the League of Airports and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) Annual Training Course with a renewed pledge to reposition the institution as the hub of aviation knowledge and technical excellence in Africa.
Declaring the training open, the Rector and Chief Executive Officer of NCAT, Dr Danjuma Adamu Ismaila, extended a warm welcome to participants drawn from various media organisations, acknowledging their critical role in shaping public discourse and understanding of the aviation sector.
“Let me use this opportunity to welcome you all to the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology for this intensive one-week course covering five key areas, including Basic, Advanced Management, and Senior Management Refresher Courses for airport and aviation correspondents,” Dr Ismaila said.
He described the training as an annual capacity-building initiative designed to bridge the knowledge gap between aviation professionals and the media.
“We aim to ensure correspondents can speak and write knowledgeably about aviation concepts and terminologies. Some of you may come from different professional backgrounds, and this training is here to strengthen your grasp of the sector,” he added.
Dr Ismaila commended the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for sponsoring the programme and embracing journalists as integral members of the aviation family. He emphasised the college’s strategic significance, noting that most Nigerian aviation agencies—including NCAA and FAAN—rely on NCAT’s training services to sustain operational excellence and safety compliance.
The Rector admitted to infrastructure challenges, including a shortage of on-campus accommodation, which had led to some trainees being housed in external hotels. However, he assured attendees that NCAT was aggressively expanding its capacity.
“We are constructing a new hostel facility with a 150-room capacity to address the accommodation deficit. Our goal is to expand our infrastructure and training programmes to serve more stakeholders,” he revealed.
Dr Ismaila also announced that NCAT had recently acquired a full-flight simulator for the Boeing 737 aircraft and is in the process of securing an additional one for the ERJ 145—the second most utilised aircraft type in Nigeria. “This will allow us to meet the recurrent training needs of pilots, who must renew their licences every six months,” he noted.
He further shared the institution’s environmental vision, saying NCAT is adopting a decarbonisation policy in line with global climate change efforts. “We are considering solar energy and electric vehicles to reduce carbon emissions and possibly earn carbon credits,” he explained.
In his remarks, the Chairman of LAAC, Mr Idris Suleiman, expressed gratitude to the NCAA Director General, Captain Chris Ona Najomo, for facilitating LAAC’s return to NCAT after a two-year interval at another training venue. “We are truly happy to be back. NCAT has proved its worth, and we say to our colleagues—welcome back home,” he said.
Mr Suleiman highlighted the value of the training, noting its significance in promoting responsible journalism and deepening the media’s understanding of aviation trends, regulations, and technologies.
“This gathering reaffirms our collective commitment to excellence and professionalism. As aviation correspondents, we are the narrators of the industry’s progress, challenges, and aspirations,” he said. “Global aviation is evolving—driven by technology, sustainability, and economic realignments. It is therefore critical that journalists are well-grounded in the sector’s technical and policy frameworks.”
He called on aviation stakeholders to remain steadfast in their commitment to the sector’s development, despite economic pressures and operational constraints affecting airlines. “Back home, more local airlines have received Air Operator Certificates, while airport concession plans continue to move forward under the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development,” he said.
Commending NCAT’s ongoing infrastructural improvements, Mr Suleiman noted, “We’ve only just entered the second quarter of 2025, yet NCAT is already demonstrating admirable progress. We encourage the management to keep the momentum.”
He concluded by urging participants to engage fully in the training and apply their insights to enhance public trust in Nigeria’s aviation system. “Let us remain disciplined and focused throughout the week. The benefits of this training will echo in the quality of our reportage and the wider industry’s growth,” he stated.
The 2025 LAAC Training Course is expected to bolster the professional capacity of aviation journalists and fortify the symbiotic relationship between the media and aviation institutions in Nigeria.
