The African Aviation and Aerospace University (AAAU), Abuja, received a technical team from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for discussions on the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in Nigeria, with emphasis on training, knowledge development, knowledge exchange and the professional capacity required to support the emerging SAF ecosystem.

The team comprised members of the NCAA Environment Team, An NCAA SAF Technical Expert, and ICAO Consultant, Jon McKechnie. They were received by the Ag.Vice-Chancellor of AAAU, Mustapha Sheikh Abdullahi, Ph.D, FInstTA, FCMI, alongside members of University Management and staff.

In his opening remarks, the Ag.Vice-Chancellor gave a brief overview of the University, highlighting its establishment, academic programmes and growing focus on aviation, aerospace and environmental sustainability. He also highlighted the African Centre for Climate Change and Aviation Decarbonization (ACCCAD) and its role in supporting knowledge, research and capacity development around climate change and aviation decarbonization.

The discussions built on efforts that began last year towards exploring Nigeria’s potential for Sustainable Aviation Fuel development. Preliminary studies identified significant opportunities for SAF development from available sustainable resources, providing a basis for further consideration of the technical, academic and institutional requirements needed to develop the SAF ecosystem in Nigeria.

With attention now shifting towards building the expertise required to translate this potential into practical action, the meeting examined the role AAAU could play as a knowledge and training base for SAF capacity development.

A major focus of the engagement was the Training of Trainers approach, which is intended to develop a pool of professionals and subject-matter experts capable of transferring knowledge and supporting wider capacity development in the SAF sector.