The Federal Government has declared that the African Aviation and Aerospace University, Abuja, will remain a specialised institution dedicated to aviation and aerospace education, warning against any move to deviate from its core mandate.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mahmud Kambari, who represented the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, stated this on Thursday at the university’s matriculation ceremony in Abuja.
Kambari said the institution was established to bridge the manpower gap in the aviation industry and would continue to focus on producing skilled professionals for the sector.
He said, “We understand AAAU as a strategic national investment designed to bridge the manpower gap within one of the world’s foremost growing industries. Under my leadership and the ministry, and in line with the renewed agenda of His Excellency President Bola Tinubu, we have continued to pursue policies that will reposition the Nigerian aviation industry as a major contributor to national economic growth.”
He added, “One of which is human capital development. The established and steady growth of AAAU perfectly demonstrates our drive to produce highly skilled professionals who will compete globally.”
Highlighting global demand for aviation professionals, Kambari said the industry would require hundreds of thousands of skilled workers over the next decade, presenting Nigeria with an opportunity to strengthen its workforce.
“It is a global consensus that the industry in the next decade will produce well over 600,000 commercial pilots, more than 700,000 aircraft maintenance engineers and technicians, and hundreds of thousands of additional aviation professionals, including air traffic controllers, airport managers, safety instructors, aviation lawyers, aerospace engineers, cyber security specialists, and aviation business managers,” he said.
He urged the university to expand its academic offerings but insisted that any new programmes must remain relevant to aviation and aerospace.
“For the past three academic sessions, AAAU has largely operated two academic programs. While we appreciate the need to build carefully and sustainably, the time has come for the university to deliberately expand its academic programs.
“However, let me quickly add that such expansion must never compromise the vision of all for whom the university was established.”
The permanent secretary stressed that the the institution into a conventional university.
“Let me be unequivocal on this matter. The Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development will not support any attempt for AAAU to gradually drift into becoming a conventional university.
“We have witnessed situations where specialized universities slowly abandoned their mandates and began offering programs that bear little or no relationship to their founding objectives.
“That will not happen here. AAAU was created as a specialized aviation and aerospace university, and as far as this administration is concerned, that is exactly what it shall remain. Every new program introduced must directly align with the university’s strategic mandate and contribute meaningfully to aviation, aerospace, and related strategic sectors.
“We must resist the temptation of becoming everything to everyone. Rather, we must strive to become the very best in what we were created to do, and that’s aviation, and aviation, and aviation, maybe with aerospace development,” he added.
He assured the university of continued government support despite existing challenges and urged newly admitted students to shun social vices.
“There is no shortcut to excellence. Avoid contributing. Examine human practices.
“Drug abuse, cybercrime, violence, and any conduct capable of destroying human dignity Learn to manage your time wisely, respect your lecturers, obey the laws of the university, and build good friendships that will positively shape your future,” Kambari said.
Also speaking, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the university, Mustapha Abdullah, said the institution had continued to record significant growth since it admitted its pioneer students in 2023.
“Our academic growth has been impressive and deliberate, we began in 2023 with only 29 undergraduate students, today, our student population has grown to 311. Our contribution to professional training has been equally significant. In 2023, the university delivered training to 162 professionals, today, we have successfully conducted training to well over 500 professionals through our professional training Directorate,” he said.
Abdullah said the university had also made progress in postgraduate education.
“While over 50 Postgraduate students have successfully defended their master’s degrees, in about a year from today, we shall invite you all for the maiden convocation of AAAU as we prepare for the graduation of our pioneer undergraduate set, together we have justified that confidence,” he said.
He added that the institution was established to meet Africa’s growing demand for skilled aviation professionals.
“The African Aviation and Aerospace University did not emerge by accident. It was established to respond to a global reality… Our mission is not simply to award degrees. Our mission is to produce competent professionals, innovative researchers, responsible leaders, and solution providers who will shape the future of aviation and aerospace on our continent.”
The PUNCH