Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nigeria Airlines (UNA) to provide structured industrial training for engineering students of the institution.
Speaking at the signing ceremony of the MoU, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, said the partnership will bring the university and airline together to provide practical, hands-on, and globally competitive education.
Olarinde noted that under the agreement, about 20 final-year students of ABUAD’s College of Engineering would annually undergo robust and hands-on training in aeronautical and aerospace engineering through the Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme at the airline.
She said that the collaboration, designed to run for a renewable period of 10 years at no financial cost to the university, fosters a long-term investment in human capital development, skills transfer, and the grooming of a new generation of Nigerian aerospace professionals.
He added that the airline’s decision to commence flight operations into Ado-Ekiti in December 2025 had fulfilled an age-long aspiration of the university’s Founder, Afe Babalola (SAN), for air connectivity to the town, describing the development as a demonstration of faith in ABUAD students.
In his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of the United Nigeria Airlines, Professor Obiora Okonkwo, said that the airline was honoured to partner ABUAD, stressing that merit, excellence, and shared values informed the collaboration.
He noted that strong nations thrive on close ties between political leadership and intellectual institutions, urging Nigerian leaders to leverage universities for solutions to national challenges.
Okonkwo said that the airline regarded the partnership as part of its broader social responsibility and commitment to practical education that delivers value beyond certificates.
He added that graduates of ABUAD had continued to distinguish themselves, describing the university as an institution that had exceeded expectations.
The Founder of ABUAD, Chief Babalola, who described education as the bedrock of national development, thanked United Nigeria Airlines for formalising the partnership with the university.
Babalola said the MoU would contribute significantly to manpower development in Nigeria’s aviation and engineering sectors and commended Okonkwo for his professional achievements and support for educational advancement.
