The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has advocated for the establishment of an artificial intelligence and robotics laboratory at the Air Force Institute of Technology. This request was put forward during a strategic visit to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund headquarters on Tuesday, aimed at strengthening the nation’s tertiary education system within the military.
Aneke highlighted the evolution of AFIT over 48 years into a multidisciplinary centre of excellence producing skilled manpower for the aviation and defence sectors. He credited previous interventions by TETFund for creating an enabling environment where students can thrive without disruptions.
“AFIT has become one of the most sought after institutions of higher learning in Nigeria for aviation related studies, owing to its reputation for academic excellence, strict discipline and zero tolerance for strikes,” Aneke remarked.
Beyond the laboratory, the Air Chief sought assistance for the construction of a five kilometre perimeter security fence with integrated smart surveillance systems. He also requested residential accommodation for staff to enhance welfare. He noted that the Nigerian Air Force College of Nursing, operating alongside the School of Medical Sciences, provides specialised training regulated by professional bodies.
“Our Aviation Medicine School is critical to operations across the entire spectrum of the force,” Aneke stated.
Responding to the requests, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, assured the Air Chief that interventions in AFIT are already planned for this year. He emphasised the strategic importance of the Nigerian Air Force in national security and education.
Echono noted that the organisation is more than a federal parastatal but a strategic partner in national development. He reiterated that support extends beyond physical facilities to improving the teaching environment. “AFIT is now one of the most sought after institutions in the country, offering guaranteed quality of faculty, timely completion of programmes and disciplined learning,” Echono concluded.
