“Expatriates May Take Over Aviation Jobs in Nigeria in 10 Years” – Expert

Former Aviation Round Table, ART, president Captain Dele Ore, has raised  alarm that expatriates may take over high-end technical positions in aviation in 10 years because of lack of well-trained and type-rated technical personnel.

The Aviation expert, who spoke in Lagos, said the government’s signing of Bilateral Air Service Agreements, BASAs, with foreign countries and other unfavorable airline policies would continue to hinder growth.

He warned that with expatriates taking over the positions of local technical personnel, the next 10 years might be worse for the Nigerian Aviation industry.

He explained that many pilots trained at home and abroad were roaming the streets without jobs, noting that local airlines were getting approvals from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for expatriate quota, which would negatively affect Nigerian professionals in the future.

Ore said since the demise of the Nigeria Airways in 1984, local jobs and training have been in jeopardy.

“If care is not taken, soon, we will have half-baked aircraft commanders in the cockpit, ” he said.