Abuja Varsity Advances Establishment of Major Aviation School in Nigeria
- Baze University in Abuja is developing a full aviation training campus on 88 hectares of land at its Bwari campus
- The planned runway is projected to be the longest university-owned runway in Africa for pilot training after UNISA's facility
- Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo pledged Federal Government support for the project in February 2026, including fast-tracking regulatory approvals
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Baze University in Abuja is building a dedicated Aviation School at its Bwari campus, a project the institution says will address a persistent shortage of aviation training capacity in Nigeria and across the continent.
The facility is being developed on roughly 88 hectares of land and is nearing completion. Its infrastructure will include a runway built specifically for flight training, a hangar, a terminal building, flight-operations and planning facilities, classrooms, aviation laboratories, simulation and training facilities, and the full safety, security, and ground-support systems required of a modern aviation training institution.
Source: Twitter
In a statement sighted by Legit.ng on Thursday, September 3, the university says it is beginning flight operations with two training aircraft, giving students hands-on exposure alongside ground-school instruction.
Federal government backs the project
In February 2026, Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo received a Baze University delegation led by the institution's Founder and Chancellor, Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, and committed Federal Government support to the project.
That support includes efforts to speed up the relevant regulatory and bureaucratic processes.
For certification, the university must satisfy requirements under Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) Part 3, which covers Approved Training Organisations.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority's process involves document evaluation, demonstration, and physical inspection before any approval is granted.
Nigeria's answer to a continental trend
The runway planned for the school is projected to be the longest university-owned runway in Africa dedicated to pilot training, after the facility associated with the University of South Africa.
In March 2026, the University of South Africa announced the acquisition of a 20-hectare airport facility, describing itself as the first African university to own an airport. Baze University's project is set to add a Nigerian dimension to that emerging trend.
Baze was established in 2011 and has grown steadily in academic programmes and physical infrastructure since then. Senator Baba-Ahmed conceived the Aviation School as part of a broader vision to build specialised capacity in areas where Nigeria and Africa face critical gaps.
Beyond pilot training, the institution intends the school to serve as an integrated environment where academic study, research, simulation, and professional development reinforce one another.
When fully operational, the Baze University Aviation School is expected to function as one of the institution's most significant academic and infrastructure investments, producing pilots and other aviation professionals for Nigeria and the wider continent.
Baze varsity awards best graduating student $20, 000
Previously, Legit.ng reported that Farid Aminu Hammayo, an indigene of Bauchi State, was awarded a $20,000 (over N33 million) prize after he emerged as Baze University's overall best graduating student.
The 21-year-old graduated with a 3.96 cumulative grade point average (CGPA) on a 4.0 scale to bag a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Economics.
Source: Legit.ng
