The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the African Aviation and Aerospace University (AAAU), Abuja, have initiated collaborative efforts to enhance technical capacity and professional expertise for developing Nigeria’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) ecosystem. This partnership, driven by the need to reduce aviation sector emissions, focuses on training, knowledge exchange, and institutional capacity building. The engagement followed a visit by the NCAA Environment Team, led by Jon McKechnie, a SAF Technical Expert and ICAO Consultant, to AAAU for discussions on SAF development and capacity-building strategies. The team was received by Mustapha Sheikh Abdullahi, Ag. Vice-Chancellor of AAAU, alongside university management and staff.
Abdullahi outlined AAAU’s academic focus on aviation, aerospace, and environmental sustainability, emphasizing the role of the African Centre for Climate Change and Aviation Decarbonization (ACCCAD) in research and capacity development. He noted that preliminary studies from 2025 identified opportunities for SAF production using sustainable resources, forming the basis for further technical and institutional planning. The discussions centered on positioning AAAU as a knowledge hub for SAF training, with a proposed Training of Trainers (ToT) program to cultivate professionals capable of advancing the sector. Abdullahi highlighted the alignment of these initiatives with ACCCAD’s mandate in climate change and aviation decarbonization, expressing the university’s readiness to host SAF-related activities that could strengthen the center’s technical foundation.
McKechnie, leading the NCAA team, detailed the proposed program’s structure, including technical and academic requirements, and emphasized collaboration among regulators, academia, and industry stakeholders. He underscored the importance of knowledge exchange, tutor sharing, and institutional infrastructure to support SAF development. The NCAA and AAAU agreed to further define collaboration areas, including training, expertise exchange, and the ToT program, to build human and institutional capacity for Nigeria’s SAF ambitions. This partnership aims to deepen aviation decarbonization efforts and foster a lower-emission aviation sector through sustained academic-industry cooperation.
The initiative reflects broader efforts to align Nigeria’s aviation sector with global sustainability goals, leveraging local expertise and resources. By integrating technical training with environmental research, the collaboration seeks to address the multidisciplinary challenges of SAF production and adoption. With ACCCAD’s involvement, the project also aims to enhance Africa’s role in climate change mitigation and aviation innovation, positioning Nigeria as a regional leader in sustainable aviation solutions.