The demand for specialised aviation skills is putting greater focus on the quality of training management, with the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) commencing a five-day International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) course in Abuja.
The Training Managers Course – Operations (TMCO), holding from August 31 to September 4, 2026, at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Training School, is designed to equip senior aviation training personnel with the skills required to manage and plan training operations.
The programme is targeted at directors, managers, heads of departments and operations managers responsible for managing aviation training organisations, with the curriculum focused on improving the planning, administration and strategic management of training operations.
The course is being delivered under ICAO’s TRAINAIR PLUS programme, the organisation’s competency-based training framework for aviation professionals and organisations. ICAO lists the in-person course at a fee of US$1,500 per participant.
According to ICAO, participants in the Training Managers Course will examine the management of training organisations, planning of training operations and the management of those operations. They will also learn how to develop strategic and tactical plans using aviation training market information and ICAO tools.
ICAO’s training catalogue lists 14 sessions hosted by NCAT across Abuja, Lagos and Zaria. The programmes cover critical areas of aviation operations, including instructor training, air traffic services, airport emergency procedures, aviation safety and the safe transportation of dangerous goods by air.
Among the scheduled programmes is an Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel (ATSEP) course on data processing and automation, slated for September 7–11 at NCAT in Zaria.
A Training Instructors Course is also scheduled to be held at AEROKEYS Nigeria Limited in Kado, Abuja, from September 14–18, followed by another session in Lagos from September 21–25.
Fees for the different programmes vary according to the course and delivery format. ICAO’s training catalogues show charges ranging from US$250 for some virtual classroom programmes to US$1,700 for selected dangerous goods training courses.
For Nigeria’s aviation industry, the availability of such internationally recognised programmes locally could help reduce the need for airlines, airports, aviation service providers and other industry operators to send personnel abroad for every specialised training requirement.
It also creates an opportunity for Nigeria to retain a greater share of aviation training expenditure within the domestic economy while improving access to internationally benchmarked professional development for aviation personnel.
The increasing availability of ICAO programmes through NCAT and other approved training organisations are expected to strengthen Nigeria’s position as a regional aviation training hub, particularly as the industry continues to require specialised personnel across flight operations, air traffic management, airport safety and emergency response.
The NCAT programme also places greater emphasis on the management side of aviation training, as industry operators increasingly require training organisations capable of aligning skills development with operational needs, regulatory requirements and changing aviation market conditions.
The continued delivery of ICAO-certified and competency-based programmes in Nigeria is expected to provide aviation organisations with a more accessible route to professional development while supporting the broader objective of maintaining internationally compliant aviation operations.
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