Balami’s Aeronautics Varsity Takes Off To Curb Shortage Of Pilots, Engineers

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has said Nigeria is taking decisive steps towards achieving aviation self-sufficiency as the continent’s air transport industry continues to expand.

He stated this in Abuja on Friday during the unveiling of the the newly established Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management (IBUAM).

The Minister said the University would help address the manpower shortage currently facing the aviation sector, describing its establishment as timely and in line with the Federal Government’s efforts to build local capacity and technical expertise in the aviation industry.

“African aviation is the fastest-growing sector. It is projected to be the fastest-growing among all sectors in Africa over the next few years.

“We are expected to grow so fast that the continent will soon be in dire need of professionals pilots, aeronautical engineers, and air traffic controllers. We need to stay ahead of these dynamics. This could not have come at a better time,” Keyamo said.

He noted that the aviation industry was already grappling with a shortage of qualified professionals, particularly air traffic controllers, and urged the management of the new university to prioritise training in such critical areas.

“We are short-staffed in certain areas in aviation, and even Zaria is struggling in those particular fields. We are short of air traffic controllers and other skilled professionals who are very difficult to produce.

“We have had to recall retirees and extend their tenure to meet the demand. So, we expect that you focus on those areas where we are most short-staffed,” he added.

Founder of the university, Isaac Balami, said the institution was established to meet the growing demand for aviation professionals across Africa.

“We are compressing what took us 20 years to learn in the industry and delivering it to our students within four to five years.

“Number 14 on our schedule of tuition speaks about developing competency in digital simulation a skill that qualifies our graduates to work with global manufacturers,” Balami said.

He noted that the aviation industry across Africa faces a widening skills gap, with an estimated 65,000 professionals needed within the next decade, while existing institutions in Nigeria and other African countries produce only a fraction of that number.

“The Aviation College in Zaria is doing well but currently produces fewer than 500 top aviators. Ethiopia, South Africa, Kenya, and Morocco together cannot meet even 20 per cent of the demand,” he said.

Pioneer Vice-Chancellor of IBUAM, Professor Paul Jemitola, said the university aims to nurture a new generation of aviation and management professionals equipped with both practical and leadership skills.

“Every student will have the opportunity to master piloting and leadership alongside their primary course of study. Upon graduation, students will not only earn their degrees but also obtain a private pilot’s licence and international aircraft maintenance certification, aligned with standards set by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency,” Jemitola said.