The Minister of State, Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, on Saturday, said plans were underway to establish Aviation University to promote research, development and production of higher level management manpower for the industry.

This was disclosed by the minister while speaking with newsmen after a familiarisation tour of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) in Zaria, Kaduna State.

He said: "The aviation university will be different from NCAT, the university will be fully into research and development and production of higher level management manpower need of the industry".

"The university will go into deep research, with the hope that in the near future, we will be able to manufacture aircraft components, until when we are able to produce the aircraft itself".

While sighting example of countries like Brazil and India, who produce aircraft, the minister observed that “if such countries could do it, why not Nigeria.

"The technology is known, we are not reinventing it, we just put our act together in doing it. So, the university will cater for that, while NCAT will continue to provide the services in the institute," he stressed.