The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has renewed its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Lagos State University (LASU), reaffirming its commitment to advancing Nigeria’s aerospace capabilities through strategic partnerships. This emerged as a key point during a courtesy visit by the Vice-Chancellor of LASU, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello mni, to the Headquarters NAF, Abuja, on 22 October 2024. During the visit, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, noted that the renewed MoU is a major step in operationalizing the NAF’s broader strategic objective of fostering technical collaborations with the academia to enhance indigenous aerospace engineering capacity.
Welcoming the LASU delegation, Air Marshal Abubakar commended the University’s Aerospace Engineering Department, recognizing it as a vital player in Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem. He noted that the NAF’s collaboration with LASU, which started with the first MoU in 2013, aligns with one of the key enablers of his Command Philosophy, which is, “Prioritizing R&D leveraging cutting-edge technology, strategic partnerships and lessons learnt.” The MoU was first renewed in 2018 for another five years, running until 2023, and has now been renewed again in 2024. “Strategic partnerships with academia are essential for driving the future of aerospace engineering in Nigeria,” the CAS remarked, emphasizing the importance of utilizing advanced technology and research to meet the nation’s aviation needs. The renewed MoU will drive advancements in aerospace engineering and related fields through joint research, projects and conferences, as well as staff exchanges, to provide workable solutions that would ultimately reduce Nigeria’s overdependence on foreign partners.
Earlier in her remarks, Professor Olatunji-Bello expressed profound gratitude to the NAF for its unwavering support of LASU’s Aerospace Engineering programme. She noted that the University’s efforts to establish a world-class department have been significantly bolstered by the NAF’s collaborative approach. “This partnership will enhance our capacity to train the next generation of engineers and researchers who will tackle critical challenges in the aerospace sector,” she affirmed.
A highlight of the visit was the presentation of a letter by the CAS, conveying the donation of one decommissioned Air Beetle ABT-18 aircraft to the Aerospace Engineering Department of LASU as a teaching aid. This aircraft will serve as an invaluable resource for hands-on training and research in aerospace engineering. The exchange of souvenirs between Air Marshal Abubakar and Professor Olatunji-Bello symbolized the strengthening of a partnership that holds immense potential for Nigeria’s aviation future. Collaborations between and amongst indigenous stakeholders are germane to Nigeria’s inherent capacity to harness and optimise technologies in the aerospace engineering sector. The NAF thus remains firmly resolved to build strategic alliances with institutions like LASU, as part of Air Marshal Abubakar’s broader vision for a technologically advanced and self-reliant Air Force.