The Founder of the Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management (IBUAM), Mr Isaac Balami, has said the institution was established to tackle critical manpower shortages and leadership deficits in Nigeria’s aviation industry.
Balami made the disclosure on Friday while receiving officials of the Borno State Government at the university’s campus in Cappa, Oshodi, Lagos. The delegation visited to evaluate the progress of aviation scholarship programmes offered to indigenes of the state.
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State had earlier approved scholarship opportunities for 54 underprivileged youths to pursue studies in piloting, aeronautical engineering and other aviation-related disciplines at the university.
According to Balami, IBUAM is structured to train highly skilled pilots, aircraft engineers and aviation systems specialists through programmes aimed at repositioning Nigeria as a global hub for aviation professionals.
He explained that the National Universities Commission (NUC) had accredited the university to run 11 academic programmes, including aerospace engineering, mechatronics and systems engineering, with a strong focus on practical, industry-oriented training.
Balami said students would undergo intensive workshop and hangar-based learning, gaining up to 1,000 hours of hands-on experience before graduation to meet international employment standards.
He recalled a time when Nigeria’s aviation sector supplied skilled manpower to the global market, adding that the university was committed to restoring that legacy through structured training and long-term institutional development.
The founder also disclosed that seasoned aviation professionals with extensive technical and managerial experience had been engaged as lecturers and instructors to provide students with practical guidance and industry-based mentorship.
The Borno State Government delegation, led by the Executive Secretary of the State Scholarship Board, Dr Bala Isa, inspected academic facilities, student hostels and aviation training workshops during the visit.
Isa described the facilities as satisfactory, noting that the learning environment was suitable for students expected to begin their programmes in the coming months.
He added that the state’s investment in sponsoring students reflected its commitment to technical education and manpower development in specialised sectors critical to national economic growth.
Isa further observed that Balami, a Borno indigene and former scholarship beneficiary, had continued to give back to society through private investment in specialised aviation education.