Keyamo Warns Against Mission Drift As AAAU Matriculates New Students
By Stella Enenche, Abuja
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has directed the African Aviation and Aerospace University (AAAU), Abuja, to remain focused on its specialised aviation mandate, warning that the Federal Government will not support any move to transform the institution into a conventional university.
Speaking at the university’s third matriculation ceremony on Thursday, Keyamo said AAAU was established to bridge Africa’s aviation manpower deficit and must remain dedicated to producing highly skilled professionals for the aviation and aerospace sectors.
“The Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development will not support any attempt for AAAU to gradually drift into becoming a conventional university,” he declared.
“AAAU was created as a specialised aviation and aerospace university, and as far as this administration is concerned, that is exactly what it shall remain. Every new programme introduced must directly align with the university’s strategic mandate.”
The minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mahmud Kambari
urged the institution to expand its academic offerings in specialised fields such as aircraft engineering, aviation management, airport operations, aerospace engineering, aviation cybersecurity, aviation law, aviation medicine, space science and air navigation services.
According to him, the global aviation industry will require more than 600,000 commercial pilots, over 700,000 aircraft maintenance engineers and technicians, alongside hundreds of thousands of other professionals in the coming decade, while Africa is expected to witness one of the fastest growth rates in passenger traffic.
“The opportunity belongs to institutions like AAAU. The responsibility rests on this university to prepare young people who will not merely seek employment but become innovators, regulators, researchers, entrepreneurs and global leaders within the aviation ecosystem,” he said.
Keyamo commended the university’s management and governing council for sustaining the institution despite infrastructure, funding and institutional development challenges associated with building a new university.
Addressing the newly admitted students, he urged them to embrace discipline and shun misconduct.
“Avoid examination malpractice, drug abuse, cybercrime and violence. There is no shortcut to excellence. Excellence and discipline are inseparable companions,” he said.
Chairman of the Governing Council, Bukar Goni Aji, described aviation as one of the fastest-growing sectors with expanding career opportunities, urging students to take advantage of the prospects available.
He also announced that the council had approved sponsorship for four additional indigent students, bringing the number of beneficiaries under its scholarship initiative to ten.
“The aviation sector is expanding rapidly, and the opportunities are very wide. I congratulate you for choosing a career in this promising industry,” Aji said.
Earlier, Acting Vice-Chancellor Mustapha Abdullahi said the university had recorded remarkable growth since admitting its pioneer students in 2023.
He disclosed that undergraduate enrolment had risen from 29 students at inception to 311, while the institution had trained more than 500 aviation professionals through its professional training directorate.
“We began in 2023 with only 29 undergraduate students. Today, our student population has grown to 311. Our contribution to professional training has also grown from 162 professionals to well over 500,” Abdullahi said.
The acting vice-chancellor said AAAU was established to meet Africa’s growing demand for aviation professionals and reaffirmed its commitment to producing graduates distinguished by competence, professionalism and innovation.
He cautioned the matriculating students against complacency, stressing that aviation is an industry where mistakes can be fatal.
“The aviation industry is one industry of precision where incompetence kills. A poorly trained engineer can bring down an aircraft, a careless weather forecaster can endanger hundreds of lives, and a dishonest safety inspector can compromise an entire aviation system,” he said.
“If you came here looking for shortcuts, you came to the wrong university. But if you came prepared to work hard, dream big, innovate and compete globally, then I say to you, welcome home.”
