The Air Force Institute of Technology in Kaduna is set to graduate about 3,000 students at its combined 2nd, 3rd and 4th convocation ceremonies, with an impressive 305 of them earning first-class honours across various disciplines.

Commandant of the institute, Air Vice Marshal A.K. Ademuwagun, announced the figures during a press briefing at the Nigerian Air Force Base in Kaduna, describing the performance as proof of AFIT’s emergence as a leading centre for advanced technological education in Nigeria.

He said the convocation activities would span several days and include induction ceremonies, exhibitions, commissioning of projects and a convocation lecture, all designed to showcase the institute’s emphasis on innovation, research and practical solutions to national challenges.

Providing a breakdown of the graduating class, Ademuwagun disclosed that 513 graduates are drawn from Aerospace Engineering and Aircraft Engineering Technology programmes, which he described as pivotal to the operational readiness of the Nigerian Air Force and the wider aviation industry.

He stressed that AFIT remains the only tripartite institution in the country, integrating military training with both polytechnic and university education under one structure, a model he said allows the institute to produce graduates with strong academic grounding and disciplined professional orientation.

Of the 3,000 graduands, 2,112 completed programmes accredited by the National Universities Commission, 729 finished courses regulated by the National Board for Technical Education, while 159 are from the School of Postgraduate Studies. In addition to the 305 first-class graduates, 146 students earned distinctions in NBTE programmes and 51 postgraduate students finished with distinction.

Ademuwagun highlighted three outstanding students as overall best graduates: Oluwole Winner Oluwatimilehin from Aerospace Engineering, Ahmed Amrah Abdulkadir from Cyber Security and Babalola-Jacobs David Oluwasegun from Physics, each graduating with a near-perfect CGPA of 4.99.

He also announced a major expansion of AFIT’s postgraduate offerings, with master’s degree programmes set to grow from two to 12 and postgraduate diploma programmes from four to 12 in the next academic session, aligning with the institute’s vision to support the Nigerian Air Force’s strategic and technological needs.

In a move aimed at improving efficiency and transparency, the Commandant said all graduating students would receive their original certificates immediately after the convocation ceremony, adding that AFIT is committed to sustaining high standards in research, innovation and human capital development for both military and civilian sectors.