‘We Can’t Wait for Failure’: Nigerian Aviation Expert Builds AI for Early Aircraft Fault Detection

Across Africa, aviation remains both a symbol of connectivity and a test of resilience. With safety central to air travel and maintenance often proving complex, new approaches are emerging. Innovators are turning to artificial intelligence as a tool to strengthen reliability and keep the continent’s skies secure.One of those innovators is Ndubuisi Chibuogwu, an Airworthiness Inspector and licensed aircraft maintenance engineer (avionics) with Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority. Building on a decade of fieldwork, he has created a lightweight AI-based predictive maintenance system designed to spot hidden risks early and support safer, more cost-effective flight operations.