Nigeria is set to fly its first made-in-Nigeria helicopter as work on the project nears completion, officials from the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) have announced.
Developed entirely within the country, this achievement marks a major step in Nigeria’s push for homegrown technological advancement. The Project Manager of NASENI’s Aeronautics and Air Vehicle Development Institute in Kaduna, Kareem Aduagba, shared the update during a Focus Group Engagement held in Kaduna.
The event, organized by NASENI, brought together inventors, manufacturers, industry leaders, and policymakers from both academia and the private sector. It aimed to promote local manufacturing, innovation, and the use of made-in-Nigeria products as part of the country’s broader strategy for industrial and technological growth.
Aduagba explained, “We are not trying to reinvent the wheel. We have started projects from first principles, including the made-in-Nigeria helicopter and various Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).”
Speaking at the event, Abdulfatai Ambali, Head of the Manufacturing Services Department at NASENI’s Hydraulic Equipment Development Institute in Kano, highlighted the agency’s focus on commercialization, collaboration, and innovation. He noted that NASENI, under its current leadership, is increasing efforts to drive national development through engineering and technology.
With the project now in its final stages, Nigeria is set to join the ranks of countries with locally developed aviation technology, reinforcing its commitment to self-reliance and industrial growth.
