NAF Appoints First-Ever Serving Professor, Strengthens Focus on Aerospace Innovation
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
In a historic first, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has appointed Air Vice Marshal OC Ubadike as its first-ever serving Professor of Aerospace Engineering, marking a major leap in the Force’s push for academic and research excellence.
Ubadike, a highly decorated scholar and engineer, boasts of multiple advanced degrees, including a PhD from Cranfield University, UK.
He has been instrumental in pioneering indigenous projects such as the NAF’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), showcasing the growing technical prowess of Nigeria’s Air Force.
The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) Governing Council also announced the appointment of retired Air Vice Marshal Paul Jemitola a renowned expert in aircraft design optimisation as a Professor of Aerospace Engineering.
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, hailed the milestone as part of efforts to build local expertise and reduce reliance on foreign technology. “We will continue to invest in education and R&D to meet our national security and aerospace needs,” he said.
The appointments signal a new era of innovation and academic excellence within the NAF.
