The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Management, Festus Keyamo, SAN, on Friday, said the aviation industry was facing a shortage of qualified professionals, leading to the recall and retention of old and retired staff.

Keyamo made this known during the unveiling of the Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management in Abuja.

The Federal Government, earlier this year, gave licence to IBUAM as the first private university of aeronautics in Nigeria.

Keyamo said the university’s creation was timely and aligned with the Federal Government’s efforts to develop local capacity and technical expertise in aviation.

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

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

Founder of the university, Isaac Balami, said the institution was established to contribute to meeting the growing demand for aviation professionals in Africa.

“We are preparing what took us 20 years to learn in the industry and giving it to our children in four to five years. Number 14 of our schedule of tuition talks about giving students competency in digital simulation that qualifies them to work with global manufacturers,” he said.

The pioneer Vice-Chancellor of IBUAM, Prof. Paul Jemitola, said the university aimed to build a new generation of aviation and management professionals equipped with practical and leadership skills.

“Every student will have the opportunity to master piloting and leadership alongside their primary course of study. When you graduate, you will earn your degree and also a private pilot’s licence and international aircraft maintenance certification aligned with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency standards,” he said.

According to the vice chancellor, the institution will strengthen Nigeria’s aviation education framework and help develop the technical workforce required for the continent’s growing air transport industry.

Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management is Nigeria’s first private aeronautic university, licensed by the Federal Government on April 30, 2025.

The university’s establishment was approved by President Bola Tinubu during a Federal Executive Council meeting on March 3, 2025, ending a four-year wait for the institution’s founders. (PUNCH)