The Federal Government, through the National Universities Commission (NUC), has officially presented a license for the immediate commencement of academic activities at the newly established Isaac Balami University of Aeronautic and Management.
The development marks the culmination of a four-year journey for the university’s founder, Comrade Isaac Balami, and comes on the heels of a recent Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting where President Bola Tinubu gave the final approval for the institution’s establishment.
At a ceremony held on Wednesday at the NUC headquarters in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of the commission, Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, handed licenses to Balami’s institution and ten other newly approved universities.
Ribadu described the moment as the dawn of a new era in Nigerian education and urged the recipients to uphold national interest and professionalism in their academic operations.
“This is a collective push toward improving our educational landscape. I commend the commitment of the founders and proprietors who are stepping forward to contribute to the sector,” Ribadu stated.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, echoed Ribadu’s sentiments.
He charged the new institutions to focus on delivering quality education and maintaining strategic partnerships that would elevate the country’s academic standing.
Responding to journalists after the presentation, Balami expressed profound gratitude to President Tinubu for breaking what he called a four-year “jinx.”
He described the approval as evidence of the president’s genuine commitment to educational advancement.
“This could only happen under a leader who prioritizes education. Achieving this milestone within just two years of Mr. President’s administration is nothing short of remarkable,” Balami said.
Balami, who also chairs 7Star Global Hanger, one of Nigeria’s leading aviation maintenance companies, said the university’s establishment would serve as a beacon of hope, particularly for young Nigerians.
He revealed that the journey began when he was 35 and had faced persistent scepticism about the project’s viability.
“This university is not mine alone; it belongs to every Nigerian. From being a nobody to leading such a transformational initiative, I hope my story will inspire others.
“We’re not just opening a school we’re preparing to roll out the first made-in-Nigeria aircraft,” he added.
Professor Paul Jemitola, the acting Vice Chancellor of the institution, also spoke at the event, promising to leverage his global experience in the Air Force across Europe and America to build a world-class institution.
He expressed confidence that the university would set new benchmarks in aviation and management education in Nigeria.
Representing 88 international student recruitment agents, Alvin Atsegwasi praised the decision to situate the university in Lagos, describing it as a “smart and strategic move” that has already begun to attract attention from parents abroad.
“A jet is about to take off in the name of Isaac Balami University of Aeronautic and Management,” Atsegwasi said, expressing optimism about the institution’s potential to attract international enrollment.
The university is expected to commence full academic operations immediately, positioning itself as a key player in aviation education on the continent.
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