The Air Traffic Services Training Centre (ATSTC), Kaduna, has inaugurated the Air Traffic Control and Surveillance Radar Course 3 (ACSR 3) for 20 participants, comprising 10 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Air Traffic Services officers and 10 Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) Air Traffic Control Officer cadets, in a renewed push to strengthen Nigeria’s airspace safety, surveillance and operational efficiency.
The course, which commenced on Tuesday, 7 April 2026, comes barely two months after the launch of ACSR 2 for 20 NAMA cadets, highlighting ATSTC’s sustained effort to address the backlog of Air Traffic Control Officer trainees while building critical manpower for both civil and military aviation operations.
The joint training initiative also reinforces the longstanding strategic partnership between the Nigerian Air Force and NAMA, a collaboration seen as vital to improving the safety, efficiency and seamless coordination of air operations across Nigeria’s airspace in support of national development and security.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, the Commandant of ATSTC, Air Vice Marshal NB Folaji, reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to strategic capacity building and stronger collaboration with NAMA in grooming the next generation of highly skilled air traffic controllers.
He urged the participants to remain disciplined, adaptable, resourceful and team-oriented throughout the 65-week programme, stressing that effective time management, confidence, professionalism and strong personal discipline would be critical to their success.
Air Vice Marshal Folaji noted that the course is designed to deliver internationally benchmarked professional competence in air traffic control and surveillance radar operations, in line with global aviation best practices.
He added that ATSTC has continued to strengthen its reputation as a centre of excellence for the training of airspace management professionals, whose expertise remains essential to mission planning, airspace deconfliction, flight safety and the seamless coordination of military air operations.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by the representative of the Airspace Manager, Alhaji Abdulmajid Muhammed, who also serves as the Air Traffic Operations Manager at Hassan Usman Katsina International Airport, alongside the Acting Deputy Commandant, instructors, principal staff officers and deans of the various schools at the Centre.
By sustaining high standards in professional training and deepening collaboration with key civil aviation stakeholders, the Nigerian Air Force continues to reinforce the operational backbone required for effective air power projection, enhanced national airspace security and the broader advancement of Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem.
