The National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) has expressed serious concern over the refusal of Nigerian airlines to absorb and provide necessary training for young pilots, thereby depriving them of the crucial experience required for their profession.
The association also raised alarms regarding the widespread abuse of expatriate quotas by local carriers within the nation’s aviation sector.
NAAPE President, Galadima Abednego, disclosed these issues in Lagos, highlighting that many airlines are circumventing regulations by employing foreign workers without proper documentation.
This practice, he noted, is contributing to growing frustration among young Nigerian pilots and engineers who are consistently denied opportunities for training and type-rating.
Abednego pointed out that during the era of Nigeria Airways, extensive training programs were commonplace, which effectively developed young talent.
In contrast, current airlines prefer to recycle existing experienced personnel or hire expatriates, primarily from Eastern Europe, whom they perceive as a cheaper and more readily available option.
The NAAPE president emphasised that this trend creates a severe succession crisis. As highly experienced professionals age out of the industry, a significant gap is emerging because young graduates are unable to gain the practical experience needed.
Furthermore, he lamented that individuals who have already paid heavily for their education are forced to spend over thirty million naira personally to obtain type ratings, a cost that should traditionally be borne by employing airlines.
Abednego called for stronger government intervention and regulation to ensure the growth and development of the aviation industry.
He stressed the necessity of a national carrier with significant financial capacity to drive investment in training and reduce the sector’s reliance on foreign expatriates, ensuring that migration becomes a choice rather than a necessity for Nigerian aviation professionals.
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cc: Leadership NG
