The Nigerian Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has held discussions with the Chancellor of Baze University, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, regarding the university’s proposal to establish a dedicated School of Aviation in Bwari, Abuja. The meeting, held at the Ministry in Abuja, focused on plans to enhance local aviation training capacity and reduce the country’s reliance on foreign institutions for aviation manpower development.
The Baze University delegation, which included Vice-Chancellor Prof. Jamila Shu’ara and Registrar Prof. Abiodun Adeniyi, presented a detailed proposal for the new school. The plan includes constructing a dedicated training runway to support pilot training and other professional programmes in aeronautical engineering, air traffic control, and meteorology. This initiative was disclosed in a statement from the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood.
Chancellor Baba-Ahmed framed the project as a national strategic investment, expressing gratitude for the Minister’s support. He highlighted Baze University’s growth since its 2011 inception, from 17 students to over 5,000 graduates, and noted its expanded infrastructure, including Africa’s largest private hospital. He argued that Africa must urgently build local capacity in aviation, a rapidly expanding global sector, warning that the continent risks becoming a permanent consumer of expertise. “Over the next 20 years, the world will require about 780,000 aircraft maintenance engineers. Are we going to remain consumers of expertise, or will we start producing our own?” he asked. He expressed confidence that the school could begin operations within a year.
Minister Keyamo described the proposal as timely and aligned with federal objectives to strengthen the aviation sector. He acknowledged existing institutions like the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, but emphasized that additional training centres would foster healthy competition and benefit the entire ecosystem. The Minister committed to fast-tracking regulatory approvals, directing all aviation agencies to prioritise the project and warning against bureaucratic delays or financial extortion. “All regulatory bodies are on red alert to give you the necessary approvals… If anyone does, report directly to me,” he stated.
The proposed School of Aviation aims to address critical skills shortages, including pilots and air traffic controllers, while supporting regional connectivity. Both parties underscored the project’s potential to position Nigeria as a hub for aviation education in West Africa, with the next step being the swift completion of regulatory processes to enable a planned launch.
