Baze University Unveils Aviation School, Acquires Two Training Aircraft

Baze University, Abuja, has unveiled plans to train at least 600 aviation professionals and establish the Federal Capital Territory’s second aerodrome as part of efforts to address manpower shortages and strengthen Nigeria’s aviation industry.

The Chancellor and Founder of the university, Datti Baba-Ahmed, disclosed this on Friday while receiving two newly acquired Diamond DA40 NG training aircraft for the institution’s aviation school in Abuja.

Baba-Ahmed said the proposed aviation school, situated on a 90-hectare site in Bwari, would train professionals across various segments of the aviation industry, including pilots, air traffic controllers, aircraft rescue and firefighting personnel, aeronautical engineers and other specialists, subject to regulatory approvals.

He said the initiative was conceived to address the shortage of skilled manpower in the aviation sector and position Nigeria as a major destination for aviation education and professional training in Africa.

According to him, Nigeria’s geographical location offers significant opportunities for the country to expand its aviation capacity and strengthen its position in the global aviation industry.

He said, “Baze Aviation School is that institution that is going to make a difference in the image of Nigeria across the world. Our location on the globe is in itself an asset,” he said.

The university founder also disclosed that the institution was developing a 1,800-metre-long and 30-metre-wide aerodrome, with an additional 15-metre shoulder, which he said would become Abuja’s second aerodrome.

According to him, Nigeria’s geographical location offers significant opportunities for the country to expand its aviation capacity and strengthen its position in the global aviation industry.

He said, “Baze Aviation School is that institution that is going to make a difference in the image of Nigeria across the world. Our location on the globe is in itself an asset,” he said.

The university founder also disclosed that the institution was developing a 1,800-metre-long and 30-metre-wide aerodrome, with an additional 15-metre shoulder, which he said would become Abuja’s second aerodrome.

He described the approvals as an endorsement of the university’s commitment to expanding specialised aviation education and producing skilled professionals for the industry.

According to him, the aerodrome represents a significant national infrastructure investment, particularly as a private university is taking on a responsibility traditionally associated with government.

On the level of development, Baba-Ahmed said construction of the aviation school’s infrastructure had reached approximately 50 per cent completion between January and November, despite challenges posed by heavy rainfall.

“From January to date, we have about a 50 per cent mark in establishing infrastructure for Baze Aviation School. Now that the rains have receded, quality will continue to grow,” he said.

He expressed appreciation to aviation regulators and government agencies, particularly the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, for their technical support and engagement with the project.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Abiodun Adeniyi, described the arrival of the aircraft as a historic milestone, saying it positioned the university to make history in African aviation education.

He said Baze University had become the first privately owned university in Africa to establish an aviation training school with its own aircraft, distinguishing it from the University of South Africa, which he identified as the first publicly owned university on the continent to establish a similar facility.

Adeniyi said the development demonstrated the university’s growing influence beyond Nigeria and West Africa.

He attributed the achievement to the vision and determination of Baba-Ahmed, whom he described as the driving force behind the institution’s ambition to break new ground in education and aviation training.

Earlier, the Coordinator of the Baze Aviation School Project, Air Vice Marshal Aliyu Bello, said the institution was established to develop skilled manpower for Nigeria’s aviation industry.

Bello disclosed that the project was conceived about four to five years ago by Baba-Ahmed, with the 90-hectare site in Bwari selected for the development.

The two aircraft, which arrived at the Hajj Terminal of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, from Austria at 4:50 pm on Friday, were received by the university’s management and officials of the NCAA, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, NAMA, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and other aviation agencies.

The development comes amid concerns over the shortage of skilled professionals in Nigeria’s aviation industry, particularly in specialised technical and air traffic management positions.

In October 2025, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, raised concerns about manpower shortages in the sector, particularly the scarcity of air traffic controllers and other highly specialised professionals.

He said the country was struggling to produce enough personnel to meet industry requirements.

Nigeria’s aviation training sector is largely anchored by the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, established in 1964 to train pilots, air traffic controllers, aircraft maintenance engineers, aeronautical telecommunications engineers and other aviation professionals.

The college operates specialised training schools covering flight operations, aircraft maintenance, air traffic services, aviation management and airport emergency training.

However, industry stakeholders have continued to highlight infrastructure and equipment constraints affecting the capacity of existing training institutions to produce sufficient professionals.

The Nigerian College of Aviation Technology has faced challenges involving the availability of serviceable training aircraft, with its rector identifying fleet limitations as a constraint on pilot training capacity in March 2026.

Against this background, Baze University’s proposed aviation school and aerodrome represent an additional private-sector investment in aviation education, infrastructure and manpower development.

The university’s expansion into aviation education also follows the NUC’s approval of Aviation Management and Aerospace Engineering as undergraduate programmes for the 2026/2027 academic session.

The approval followed a resource verification exercise and an inspection of the institution’s aviation school.