Isaac Balami University: Tinubu's Minister Announces 100 Scholarships for Female Students
- Women affairs minister, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has announced 100 scholarships for young women to study at the Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management (IBUAM)
- The initiative aims to close the gender gap in aviation, where women reportedly make up just 13 percent of the workforce
- Aviation minister Festus Keyamo hailed the university as a groundbreaking step that will boost local training in aviation
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Abuja, FCT - The minister of women affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has announced scholarships for 100 young women to study at the Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management (IBUAM).
Speaking at the university’s unveiling at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, the minister, who was represented by her special adviser, Judith Okoye, said the scholarships are part of efforts to close the gender gap in aviation, where women hold only about 13 percent of jobs.
Source: UGC
“Our goal is to bridge this noticeable gap,” she said.
“The ministry will partner with IBUAM to train 100 young women from across Nigeria as the first batch of trainees under this transformative collaboration.”
Sulaiman-Ibrahim praised IBUAM’s founder, Comrade Isaac Balami, calling the initiative “a bridge between dreams and opportunity” and an example of what is possible “when vision meets determination.”
Balami varsity: Keyamo, Najomo, others react
The minister of aviation and aerospace management, Festus Keyamo, described the establishment of IBUAM as “revolutionary,” saying Balami had achieved what successive governments had found difficult.
“The government stands firmly behind this project,” Keyamo said. “What Comrade Balami has done is combine aviation training, management education, and aircraft maintenance under one roof, a model that sets a new benchmark for Nigeria’s aviation sector.”
In his remarks, the director general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Chris Najomo, praised the development, noting that the university’s training capacity would reduce the need to send personnel abroad.
“This aligns perfectly with NCAA’s goal of promoting safety and sustainability through high-quality local training,” he said.
Balami varsity's VC speaks
IBUAM’s vice chancellor, Professor Paul Jemitola, a British-trained aerospace expert, said the institution aims to merge global aviation standards with Nigerian expertise.
“Every student here will graduate not only with a degree but also with professional certifications, including a private or commercial pilot license,” Jemitola said.
“This is a revolution designed to shape the future of aviation and leadership in Africa.”
Also speaking, Ambassador Gabriel Tamunominini Aduda, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Defence, commended Balami for “unveiling a vision” that would help Nigeria train pilots and engineers locally, create jobs, and strengthen national capacity.
The university advised qualified candidates; those who scored 200 and above in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), to register via its website. It added that scholarships would also be supported by agencies such as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the North East Development Commission (NEDC).
IBUAM one of 11 newly approved private varsities
Legit.ng notes that IBUAM is one of the eleven new private universities the federal government recently approved provisional licences for across the country, a move that further expands Nigeria’s higher education sector.
The announcement was made by minister of education, Tunji Alausa, following the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on March 3.
The newly approved institutions include New City University, Ayetoro, Ogun State; University of Fortune, Igbotako, Ondo State; Eranova University, Mabushi, FCT; and Minaret University, Ikirun, Osun state. Other newly approved universities are Abubakar Toyin University, Oke-Agba, Kwara state; Southern Atlantic University, Uyo, Akwa Ibom state; Lens University, Ilemona, Kwara State; and Monarch University, Iyesi-Ota, Ogun state.
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Source: Legit.ng
