Baze University, Abuja, has acquired two brand new Diamond KMO 40 single engine training aircraft from Austria as part of its drive to establish a full fledged aviation school and expand practical flight training in Nigeria.
The aircraft, which arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at 4:20 p.m. local time, mark a major step in the university’s plan to integrate hands-on flight training with academic programmes in aerospace engineering and aviation management.
Speaking during the reception of the aircraft, the Chancellor of Baze University, Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, described the acquisition as a significant milestone for the institution and Nigeria’s aviation education sector.
He said the aircraft would provide opportunities to train a new generation of Nigerian aviation professionals and contribute to national development through specialised education.
“It is a great honour for our dear country, Nigeria, today, not just for our institution. We are being honoured by the arrival of our brand new KMO 40 aircraft for the purpose of training aviation enthusiasts, our children and the next generation of aviation experts in Nigeria,” Baba-Ahmed said.
He described Baze Aviation as an ambitious initiative aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s aviation capacity and improving its global standing through specialised training.
The Chancellor disclosed that construction of the aviation school’s infrastructure had reached approximately 50 per cent completion since January, despite interruptions occasioned by the rainy season.
He said construction was ongoing round the clock, adding that the university was developing an aerodrome measuring 1,800 metres in length and 30 metres in width, with an additional 50 metre shoulder, in the Federal Capital Territory.
Baba-Ahmed described the proposed aerodrome as an important infrastructure investment that would also complement Abuja’s development as Nigeria’s capital.
He said the university planned to train at least 600 aviation professionals, subject to regulatory approvals, in specialised fields including piloting, air traffic control, aircraft rescue and firefighting.
The training programmes will complement the university’s academic offerings in aerospace engineering and aviation management.
He acknowledged the support of relevant regulatory and government agencies, particularly the National Universities Commission (NUC), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), in advancing the project.
Also speaking, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abiodun Adeniyi, described the acquisition as a landmark development that would strengthen the university’s position in aviation education in Nigeria and Africa.
Adeniyi said Baze University was positioning itself as the first privately owned university in Africa to establish an aviation school with its own aircraft.
He noted that although the University of South Africa, a publicly owned institution, operated an aviation training school, Baze University’s initiative represented a distinct development in private-sector investment in aviation education.
The Vice-Chancellor commended the Chancellor for investing in specialised facilities to expand the frontiers of higher education.
Earlier, the Coordinator of the Baze Aviation School Project, retired Air Vice-Marshal Aliyu Bello, said the acquisition represented an important step towards developing the skilled manpower required by Nigeria’s aviation industry.
Bello explained that the project was conceived by the Chancellor about four to five years ago to establish an institution that would combine classroom instruction with practical flight training.
He disclosed that the university had secured approximately 92 hectares of land at Gwari, on the outskirts of Abuja, for the aviation school.
According to him, the two newly acquired KMO 40 aircraft have recorded only about 40 to 50 flying hours, making them suitable for the institution’s initial pilot-training programme.
He, however, noted that additional facilities, including a twin engine aircraft and a flight simulator, would be required to support advanced training, instrument ratings and multi-engine operations.
Bello expressed confidence that further investments would equip the institution to deliver comprehensive aviation training.
He also confirmed that the university had secured NUC approval to offer two aviation-related academic programmes: Aerospace Engineering and Aviation Management.
The retired Air Vice-Marshal said the institution’s approach would distinguish it from conventional classroom based aviation education by combining theoretical instruction with practical flight experience.
He added that the arrival of the aircraft demonstrated the university’s progress towards commencing operations and enrolling students for flight training.
Bello said the project would contribute to building the skilled workforce needed to strengthen Nigeria’s aviation industry.
