In a bit to empower more women, the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has assured, that 100 women from across the six geopolitical zones will be supported to enroll in the newly established first private aeronautics university in the country called the Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management.
Suleiman-Ibrahim, who was represented by her special assistant, Chinny Okoye, during a press briefing on Friday, noted that the goal of the ministry is to ensure that many women will someday sit at the helms of affairs in the aviation industry.
The university’s founder, Isaac Balami, who confirmed the support by the ministry also disclosed that plans are also on the way for sponsorship of qualified candidates who could not pay for the ‘exorbitant’ school fees.
“The form is now open. You need to subscribe. Then, if you subscribe and you make it, then we can now make a case for you by speaking to our leaders across the country to actually help.
“… So, it’s not cheap, but you must be qualified. We have just a few weeks for you to go online and get registered, and if your parents can pay, fine. If your parents cannot pay and you are qualified, we have leaders here that will actually speak on your behalf,” he said.
He expressed his gratitude to the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, and the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa for their support in getting the university licensed.
According to Balami, the university is designed to address the skills gap in Africa’s aviation sector, with over 65,000 engineers, pilots, and managers needed in the next 10-12 years.
He added that the university will offer hands-on training, with students logging over 1,000 hours on live aircraft and gaining competency in digital simulation.
Also speaking, Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, praised Balami’s energy and vision, saying the university is a “revolution” in Africa’s aviation sector that aligns with the visions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“I will be the first to apply to be there. However, just to say that this is one of the visions of this government, the government of President Bola Tinubu that we should support the growth and sustenance of the private sector, especially in all, you know, in all our different sectors. It’s also one of our five-point agenda.
In fact, what we are doing here today satisfies two of our five-point agenda, which is one, support for our local entrepreneurs within our sector. The second is human capital development. Those are two very key objectives we have in our five-point agenda in the aviation sector,” he said.
He noted that the university combines flying school, aviation professionals, and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services, making it a unique institution.
Vice Chancellor of the school, Prof. Paul Jemitola said the university aims to redefine what it means to be a graduate, with students mastering piloting and leadership alongside their primary course of study.
He noted that graduates will walk away with a private pilot’s license, commercial licensure options, and international aircraft maintenance certification.
