The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has said that it is the priority of government to deepen local content in the aviation industry, especially in the area of training.
Keyamo said henceforth government would fully exploit opportunities offered by local intuitions in training and other services in other to conserve foreign exchange.
He therefore warned senior government officials who hanker for overseas training, lamenting that huge resources are spent for such training and noted that overseas training could only be allowed if there are no local alternatives.
Keyamo made this known at the weekend during his tour of Prime Atlantic Safety Services, a facility located near Lagos, which offers technical safety training in aviation, oil and gas operations, maritime and other areas.
He said that if the industry patronizes local companies that can efficiently offer such services that are obtained overseas, it would create jobs, conserve foreign exchange and encourage the development of high-level manpower in Nigeria.
He stated that such initiatives are essential for strengthening Nigeria's aviation ecosystem, which can help address various resource challenges
He added, "We need to conserve our foreign exchange. I want capacity to be built, but at reasonable costs and within Nigeria, as much as we can find it locally."
Keyamo said this strategic shift is intended to not only save resources but also create opportunities for more professionals to receive training locally.
He commended Prime Atlantic Safety Services facilities, which he said are of global standard and expressed appreciation at the high level of training infrastructure available in the institute.
Speaking, Group Managing Director, Prime Atlantic Safety Services, Ayo Otuyalo, shared insights into the training institute, which started providing training services about 14 years ago and said that the company emerged through collaborations with Danish and other international partners.
She spoke about the benefits of local capacity building, emphasizing that the center not only trains Nigerians but also attracts trainees from across Africa and this is why the institute strives to meet global certification by keeping up to global standards.
