45th Convocation Ceremony of Air force Institute Of Technology Kaduna

The Air Force Institute of Technology has graduated 451 students at its 45th convocation ceremony held over the weekend in Kaduna. The graduands comprise 6 MSc students in Aerospace Vehicle Design in collaboration with the Cranfield University, United Kingdom; 18 Postgraduate Diploma students in Aerospace Engineering and Logistics & Supply Management. Others are 132 Higher National Diploma in various academic disciplines and 207 National Diploma students. Of these number, 166 are from the Nigerian Air Force, 2 from the Nigerian Army and 8 from the Navy. The remaining comprised 4 personnel from the Ghanaian Air Force and 110 civilians. The Honourable Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu was Special Guest of Honour at the occasion.
Speaking at the convocation ceremony, Dr Ogbonnaya lauded AFIT for its contribution to manpower development, especially in the area of aerospace science and technology, in Nigeria and within the sub-African region. "The unique position of the Institute in providing requisite training in aerospace in Nigeria and other countries, coupled with its recognition by a number of local and international regulatory bodies, attests to its high academic standard and best practices. Acknowledging recent research and development efforts at AFIT towards the Nation’s development, Dr Ogbonnaya called on the graduating students and other well-meaning Nigerians to step-up the game in local production of goods and services with a view to encouraging the growth of local industries, job and wealth creation, as well as foreign exchange earnings. The Minister also congratulated the leadership of the NAF for its commitment and support to the Institute and the Nation at large while urging the graduands not to relent on their oars. Furthermore, the Honourable Minister used the occasion to reiterate the determination by his ministry to continue to encourage research and innovation aimed at closing all technological gaps in the country.
Meanwhile, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar has reaffirmed the desire by the NAF to be self-reliance through research and development. Speaking at the convocation ceremony as the Chairman AFIT Governing Council, Air Marshal Abubakar charged the Management, Staff and students of AFIT to come up with technological solutions that would address the basic logistics challenges in the NAF.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Commandant AFIT, Air Commodore Musibau Soladoye stated that the Institute has made steady progress over the years both in academics and research and development projects. Chief of its research and development achievement of the Insitute are the design and production of the first locally manufactured Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) for the disposal of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), modification of some aircraft parts aimed at enhancing the operational serviceability of NAF aircraft and armament systems. AFIT, at present, is also working on the modification and conversion of the NAF decommissioned Air Beetle 18 aircraft into UAV as well as the design and development of portable fuel bowser.
The Institute, since establishment in 1977, has so far graduated over 5,054 students, including personnel from the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force as well as civilians. This number includes foreign students from the Armed Forces of the Republic of Benin, Zimbabwe, Niger, Ghana and Sierra Leone.
Below are some picture from the events