By Sumaila Ogbaje
The Founder, Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management (IBUAM), Dr Isaac Balami, says the establishment of the institution is a deliberate response to the critical skill gap in Nigeria’s and Africa’s aviation industry.
Balami, who spoke at the official unveiling of the university in Abuja, said the idea behind IBUAM was born out of the need to produce industry-ready aviators, engineers and managers capable of competing globally.
He said the university, recently licensed by the National Universities Commission (NUC), was designed to equip students with both theoretical and hands-on practical aviation training, tied directly to an operational aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in Lagos.
According to him, students will not only graduate with degrees but also with international certifications in aircraft maintenance, simulation, avionics, and aeronautical operations.
“At IBUAM, every student will spend every holiday and break in the hangar, flying, repairing engines, working on landing gears, and gaining the real experience the industry demands,” he said.
Balami, a trained aircraft engineer, said the university was modeled to produce young professionals who can work unsupervised anywhere in the world by the age of 21.
He noted that Africa would require over 65,000 skilled aviation professionals in the next decade, with Nigeria and other leading countries currently producing less than 500 annually.
“We cannot continue to depend on expatriates when our youths can be trained to fill those roles. IBUAM is a response to that gap,” he said.
Balami thanked the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, for his steadfast support since the university’s conception, as well as the Minister of Education for facilitating its licensing.
He also appreciated the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the NUC for their guidance, while pledging to make Nigeria and Africa proud.
“This dream is dedicated to the youth of Nigeria, those who believe that we can fix our country by building, not complaining,” he added.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Paul Jemitola, a retired Air Vice Marshal, said the new institution was set to revolutionise aviation and management education across Africa.
Jemitola described IBUAM as Africa’s first privately-owned university dedicated solely to aeronautics and management sciences.
He said the institution was established to address the global shortage of aviation professionals, citing International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) projections that Africa would need over 65,000 new aviation experts by 2040.
According to him, this is not just a university, it is a revolution, a response to the skills deficit in Africa’s aviation ecosystem.
“The university’s unique model allows every student, regardless of discipline, to undergo hands-on pilot training alongside academic studies, leading to a degree, a private pilot licence, and international aircraft maintenance certification.
“When our students graduate, they will not only have academic degrees but also professional licenses and over 1,000 hours of logged training on live aircraft and advanced simulators,” he explained.
Jemitola said the university had partnered with top global manufacturers such as Boeing, Airbus, and Rolls-Royce to ensure world-class learning and practical exposure for students.
He added that IBUAM’s goal was to produce not just graduates but innovators and leaders who would drive Africa’s aviation future.
“Here, pilots will graduate as entrepreneurs, engineers as innovators, and managers as visionaries,” he said.
The VC urged Nigerian and African youths with a passion for aviation and technology to take advantage of the admission window now open on the university’s official website (www.ibuam.edu.ng). (NAN)
