Lawmakers and industry experts have backed a bill seeking to establish the African Aviation and Aerospace University (AAAU) in Abuja, describing it as crucial to addressing Africa’s shortage of skilled aviation professionals.
At a House of Representatives public hearing on Wednesday, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said the university would drive research, innovation and manpower development across the continent.
Represented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Ibrahim Abubakar, Mr Keyamo said the university, founded in 2023, reflected the government’s plan to make Nigeria a hub for aviation excellence.
Chairman of the university’s governing council, Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji, told the committee that land had been allocated for its permanent site along Bill Clinton Drive in Abuja.
Other speakers, including the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, and the Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Capt Danjuma Ismail, said the institution would complement existing training centres and prepare the region for rising global demand for pilots and engineers.
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas described the proposal as a “transformational step” for Nigeria’s aviation industry.
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