The Nigerian College of Aviation Technology graduated 30 students at the end of last year Course no, SP-22. And they are fully qualified ICAO pilots CPL Multi IFR, i don't understand why some previous posters seem to feel otherwise. Many of the SP-21 (the previous NCAT batch, there was a bit of a gap in btwn them) graduates are now Captains on 737s etc ( shock horror). There are a few other pilots who have trained in other countries with the help of govt sponsorships. While the govt has not done as well as it could have, it would be unfair to say the govt has done nothing. There course fees where heavily subsidised by the govt. The govt has also made an impact by pressurising Helo operators into training nigerians as helo pilots, Bristow and aero have been and are sponsoring young nigerians as pilots with success, pan african what about you?.
There is nothing strange about new pilots going straight unto jets it happens in may successful airlines in Africa (KQ, SAA, etc), Europe (BA, Easyjet, Ryanair, etc), USA (some regional jet operators took low time guys during buoyant times pre-9/11), ASia/Middle east (Emirates, Oman air, Sri Lanka, etc), South america, etc,etc.
In nigeria many ab intio pilots have successfully converted unto jets without breaking any planes or ophaning any children.
We are talking about fully automated plastic Airbus aircraft here
for goodness sake.
VA and VNA crew requiremnts should not be the same, if the decide to use these requirements for VNA long haul they have my blessing.