Nigeria has officially launched its first university dedicated to aeronautics, following the National Universities Commission’s (NUC) issuance of an operating license to Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management.
The milestone marks the end of a four-year wait and signals a major step forward for aviation education in the country.
The license was approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at a recent Federal Executive Council meeting. The official handover ceremony was held in Abuja on April 30, drawing praise from education stakeholders and aviation industry observers alike.
NUC Executive Secretary, Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, called the development “a new chapter in a collective effort for better education in Nigeria,” and urged the new university to uphold professionalism and contribute meaningfully to national development.
Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, echoed the call for quality, warning new proprietors to “protect the integrity of your partnerships and give Nigerians the education they deserve.”
Founder and aviation entrepreneur Isaac Balami, who also runs the 7Star Global Hangar, hailed President Tinubu for resolving the delay.
“This could only happen under a man who places a premium on education. Success can only be delayed, not denied,” Balami said, adding that the university will spearhead aviation innovation. “We assure Nigerians that with the takeoff of our university, the first made-in-Nigeria plane will soon take off.”
The university’s Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Paul Jemitola, a former military aviation expert, added, “With my global military aviation background, I believe big things are about to happen in Nigeria’s aviation sector.”
Momentum is already building internationally. Alvin Atsegwasi, who represents 88 student recruitment agents across various countries, said interest is pouring in from parents in Europe and the U.S.
“A jet is about to take off—in the name of Isaac Balami University,” he declared.
The university aims to fill a longstanding gap in Nigeria’s technical education space, while serving as a regional hub for aeronautics and aviation management.
