The dream of establishing Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management has officially become a reality. The National Universities Commission (NUC) has granted the long-awaited license for the immediate takeoff of the institution, marking a major milestone for aviation and higher education in Nigeria.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu gave the green light during a recent Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the State House in Abuja. The approval, which had been stalled for four years, has been met with nationwide excitement—especially among young Nigerians who have benefited from the generosity and mentorship of the university’s founder, Comrade Isaac Balami.
At the license presentation event held on Wednesday at the NUC headquarters in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Professor Abdullahi Ribadu, congratulated Balami and ten other institutions receiving similar approvals. He urged them to prioritize national interest, uphold professionalism, and stay committed to quality education.
“This is the beginning of a new chapter,” Ribadu said, emphasizing the importance of education in national development. He praised the university’s promoters for their vision and dedication.
Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, encouraged the new institutions to maintain strong partnerships and focus on delivering the kind of education Nigerians truly deserve.
In his remarks, Isaac Balami expressed deep gratitude to President Tinubu for ending the four-year wait. “This shows the president is a leader who listens, who believes in young people, and who is committed to advancing education,” Balami said. “We’ve worked hard for this, and I’m grateful to everyone who supported the vision. At 35, I started this journey. Now at 40, we’ve seen it come to life.”
Balami, who also owns 7Star Global Hanger—one of Africa’s largest airline maintenance companies—added that the university would play a major role in producing the first made-in-Nigeria aircraft. “This university isn’t mine alone,” he said. “It belongs to every young Nigerian with a dream.”
Professor Paul Jemitola, the university’s Acting Vice Chancellor and a former Air Force officer with global experience, promised that the institution would deliver world-class training and innovation. “Big things are about to happen in Nigeria,” he said confidently.
Also present at the ceremony was Alvin Atsegwasi, who represented 88 education agents ready to admit foreign students from Europe and America. He praised the university’s strategic location in Lagos and revealed that interest from parents abroad is already growing. “A jet is about to take off,” he said, “and its name is Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management.”
