The inability of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), in Zaria, Kaduna State to graduate students for a while, is the reason there is a shortage of indigenous pilots in the country, the acting Rector of the International Aviation College ( IAC), Ilorin, Captain Nuhu Abdulkarim, has said.

Abdulkarim explained that before the International Aviation College , Ilorin was established in 2012, only (NCAT), in Zaria, was in existence, and for a period of about 10-11yeras, they were not producing graduates, that accounted for the shortage, he said.

He told The Nation that there has been a dearth of professionals, not only pilots, but engineers and dispatchers. This is because we used to have only one recognised organisation, which is the NCAT, adding that the shortage of aviation professionals is having a ripple effect on the Nigerian aviation sector , as airlines are left with no choice than to hire expatriate pilots.

The rector urged domestic airline owners to invest in the training of indigenous pilots , affirming that it is one of the ways of curbing the invasion of the industry by foreigners.

He said: "Nigerian airlines are not training indigenous pilots. They are not participating in training, that is why people are poaching from one airline to another. I am a product of Nigeria Airways, the former national carrier that invested money in the training of Nigerian pilots. Airlines should sponsor pilots for training.This is what led, in the past to the poaching of trained pilots. When poaching was not more possible, they started bringing in expatriates.

He therefore urged corporate originations, state and local governments and private individuals to key into the training opportunity offered by the International Aviation College (IAC) to develop the needed manpower in the aviation industry.

Abdulkarim said sponsoring students to the school would help the industry curtail the huge amount it spends in hard currency in taking students abroad for training, as well as save airlines huge sums ofmoney paid to foreign expatriate professionals yearly.

In his words, "What Kwara State government has done was to provide the enabling environment. We are building capacity for the aviation industry and Kwara State government is helping. Every training you do here, you save the Nigerian economy about $200, 000 every year. I have expatriates here. I don't like or hate them because we are one family under ICAO (the International Civil Aviation Organisation).

This infrastructure has come to stay. Let Nigerians start sponsoring people. We are not saying you should not patronise South Africa or Dubai or anywhere, but let corporate responsibility happen, sponsor Nigerians and keep them. The capacity to train and the standard to train here is comparable to any institutions.

The Rector said the college Is equipped with seven Diamond trainer aircraft and other world class facilities run in collaboration with oxford Aviation college in the United Kingdom.

He said the kwara state government does not interfere with the day-to-day running of the college but has assembled the right professionals to ensure that the school is run in such as way as to maintain the standards as required by ICAO.

Abdulkarim said the classrooms are computer aid instructions, run by Oxford, adding, "if Oxford sees that we are not doing what is there on that system, they will cut us off from the system. We cannot change the books. We cannot even photocopy any part of the book, we are not allowed. Oxford does not run the college, but we have a partnership whereby we use their books and the books have been approved by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

He said though the school is estatablished and funded by kwara State government, it is being run on private sector standards. "From a business perspective, the College has no choice than to make sure that all its facilities are upgraded and ensure we are world standard at any time.

"This is because we are the only one in the West African sub-region that offers world class training for pilots and other cadre of manpower in aviation in line with world standards. We have to make sure everything is done properly. The College is being run on private sector standards; it is not like another government parastatal that you expect would be run down, he added.