Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Growth, Festus Keyamo, has raised issues over the scarcity of expert professionals in Nigeria’s aviation sector, notably air visitors controllers.
He expressed optimism that the newly established Isaac Balami College of Aeronautics and Administration (IBUAM) would play a pivotal position in addressing the manpower deficit and boosting native capability within the trade.
Talking in Abuja on Friday in the course of the unveiling of the college, Keyamo described the initiative as well timed and aligned with the Federal Authorities’s agenda to reinforce technical experience and scale back dependence on overseas professionals.
“We’re short-staffed in sure areas of aviation, and even Zaria is struggling in these explicit areas. We’re short-staffed by way of air visitors controllers and different expert professionals which are very troublesome to supply,” he mentioned.
“We’ve got needed to recall retirees and prolong their tenure to fulfill the necessity. So, we count on that you just focus in these areas the place we’re short-staffed,” the minister added.
Keyamo famous that the federal government is implementing methods to realize self-sufficiency within the aviation trade by creating homegrown expertise, investing in fashionable coaching establishments, and strengthening regulatory frameworks.
In keeping with him, these efforts are important as Africa’s air transport sector continues to develop quickly.
“African aviation is the fastest-growing sector. Within the subsequent few years, it’s going to outpace different industries on the continent. Africa will quickly be on the lookout for professionals—pilots, aeronautical engineers, and air visitors controllers. We should be forward of those dynamics. This might not have come at a greater time,” Keyamo mentioned.
Earlier, the college’s founder, Isaac Balami, mentioned IBUAM was established to assist meet the growing demand for aviation professionals throughout Africa.
“We’re condensing what took us 20 years to be taught within the trade and giving it to our college students in 4 to 5 years. Certainly one of our key targets is to equip college students with digital simulation expertise that make them globally aggressive,” he said.
Balami estimated that Africa’s aviation sector would require about 65,000 professionals over the following decade, far exceeding the present output of coaching establishments throughout the continent.
The college’s pioneer Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Paul Jemitola, mentioned IBUAM is dedicated to nurturing a brand new technology of execs with a mix of technical experience, management, and managerial competence.
He added that the establishment’s programmes are designed to mix theoretical information with hands-on coaching, problem-solving, and innovation to supply graduates able to driving excellence within the aviation and administration sectors.
