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By Abubakar Umar
An aerospace engineer, Engr. Nurudeen Adeyemi Balogun, has called on Nigeria to give top priority to the development of its indigenous aerospace industry, stressing the need to shift from a culture of “assembled in Nigeria” to “built in Nigeria.”
Engr Balogun, who is the North Central Representative on the TETFund Board of Trustees and Founder of ENACT Innovation Hub, made the call while speaking at the 48th edition of the Kwara NUJ Media Parliament held at the NUJ Press Centre, Ilorin.
He emphasized that no country can achieve true independence without investing in and building a self-reliant aerospace sector.
According to him, the aerospace industry extends far beyond airplanes and airports, serving as a critical driver of innovation, infrastructure, national security, and even power generation.
The Engineer noted that significant advancement in Nigeria’s aerospace sector would not only strengthen civil aviation but also enhance military capacity, while creating thousands of employment opportunities.
Engr Balogun observed that Nigeria already has a pool of trained professionals in the field, pointing to the Federal Government’s recent approval of aerospace training centres across the six geopolitical zones, including Kwara State, as a step in the right direction.
While commending initiatives under the Renewed Hope Agenda, such as the settlement of aviation debts and the commencement of nationwide facility upgrades, he cautioned that such gains would only be meaningful if backed by indigenous innovation and sustained investment.
The event, which brought together stakeholders in the media and aviation sector, had as its theme: “Nigeria’s Aerospace Potential: Innovation, Infrastructure and Indigenous Capacity.”
Edited by Abdullahi Ahmed
