Nigeria’s first locally made helicopter set to take flight

Nigeria’s first indigenously manufactured helicopter is almost ready for its maiden test flight.

This was announced by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).

Project manager at the Aeronautics and Air Vehicle Development Institute, a division of NASENI, Mr. Kareem Aduagba shared the update during a stakeholder engagement session held in Kaduna on Wednesday.

The event brought together inventors, manufacturers, academics, private sector players, government officials, and industry leaders to explore strategies for boosting local innovation, strengthening manufacturing, and driving the adoption of Nigerian-made products.

“Very soon, we are going to do the first test. Everything is nearing completion now, and very soon, we will fly the first made-in-Nigeria helicopter,” Aduagba said.

He explained that the agency is leveraging existing global technology while developing local capabilities.

“What we are doing now is not to reinvent the wheel. We had one of our projects being started from the first principle, which we are working on, both the made-in-Nigeria helicopter and some unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).

“We have some which we bought over from developed countries, which we had them in semi-knockdown (SKD) and some complete knockdown (CKD).

“So, we are now making use of science and engineering knowledge to work on the SKD and the CKD,” he added.

Also, Abdulfatai Ambali, head of the manufacturing services department at the Hydraulic Equipment Development Institute in Kano, highlighted NASENI’s pivotal role in national development.

He noted that under its current leadership, the agency is placing greater emphasis on commercialization, collaboration, and expanding public awareness of its work.

He pointed out that many Nigerians are unaware of NASENI’s contributions, but the agency is actively working to change that through outreach and community impact initiatives.

NASENI is also focused on developing homegrown technology to reduce the country’s dependence on imported products, with several innovative solutions already in use across various sectors.

Saleh Kwaru, the event’s facilitator, encouraged Nigerians to support local industries, emphasizing that national progress relies on promoting homegrown products and talent.

“We must look inward and leverage our resources. Constantly relying on foreign products weakens our economy,” Kwaru said.

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