Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the establishment of Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management (IBUAM), describing the development as a major investment in Nigeria’s aviation future.
The governor also announced a fresh round of state-funded scholarships targeting young people from low-income families across Borno.
The announcement came after the founder of IBUAM, Comrade Isaac Balami, paid a courtesy visit to the governor at the Government House in Maiduguri on Thursday.
The visit, which Balami described as a “homecoming,” focused on new avenues for strengthening youth education and advancing aviation-related opportunities for the state.
Balami told journalists that the meeting with the governor carried deep emotional significance for him, noting that a Borno State Government scholarship he received years ago became the foundation of his rise in the aviation industry.
He returned, he said, to “give back to the soil that raised him” and to ensure other young people have similar opportunities.
“Education transformed my life, and I feel a strong responsibility to pass that gift on,” Balami said.
He announced that IBUAM would immediately offer 54 scholarship slots for indigent youths from Borno to study various aviation programmes at the institution.
He also emphasised that the university was ready to partner with the state to expand opportunities for talented youths who lack financial support.
Governor Zulum responded by approving an equivalent set of 54 state-funded scholarships for young people interested in piloting, aeronautical engineering, and other specialised programmes offered by the new university.
He said the initiative reflected his administration’s commitment to nurturing a new generation of aviation professionals from Borno.
In separate statements on X and Facebook, the governor hailed Balami’s vision and reaffirmed the state government’s readiness to partner with IBUAM.
He stressed that the selection process for the scholarships must be strictly merit-based to ensure only hardworking and deserving youths benefit.
“The selection will prioritise indigent youths with strong academic potential,” Zulum said.
He directed the Commissioner for Education and the Executive Secretary of the Borno State Scholarship Board to begin immediate coordination with the university. He also warned against political interference, insisting, “I will personally vet the final list.”
The governor publicly thanked President Tinubu for approving the new institution, describing it as clear evidence of the president’s commitment to national development and youth empowerment.
Both the Borno State Government and IBUAM said the partnership marked an important step toward producing highly skilled pilots, aircraft engineers, and aviation technicians who will contribute to Nigeria’s growing aviation sector.
The collaboration is also expected to create long-term educational and economic opportunities for youths in Borno and beyond.