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From Uche Usim, Abuja
Aviation Minister, Mr Hadi Sirika, on Friday, disclosed that the African Aviation and Aerospace University (AAAU), Abuja would take off before the end of 2022, as all needed facilities and personnel are on ground.
Sirika, who made the disclosure in Abuja at a media briefing, said the AAAU remains the most important component of the Aviation Sector Roadmap designed to grow the fortunes of the country. According to him, the AAAU project was mooted in 2016, and has secured needed accreditations from the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Sirika thanked the NUC for its support, especially in identifying and correcting some system errors leading to the project getting to the take-off point.
He revealed that the pioneer students would be 40, divided into two courses.
“Twenty will be enrolled for BSC in Aviation Business and another 20 for BSC in Meteorology. The school is designed to be a Pan-African University to support the entire African region.
“We have contacted many countries in Africa and beyond. We also partnered with ICAO, AFCAC and other relevant institutions and universities around the world. This culminated to what we have today. We’re not limiting admission to Nigerian intake alone because Africa is our catchment area”, he explained.
Sirika added that the ministry has since secured suitable land for the school around the Abuja airport environment but said that classes will be held both online and physical learning at the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) facility and Nile University.
“It’s a hybrid university for real-time and online studies. We have provisions for these. For start-up, we need labs, hotels, etc. We will sign an MoU with Nile University to use their facilities for now. Lectures would be done at the AIB building in Abuja airport and at the Nile University. “In 2023, we would commence Masters (MSc) Air Transport Studies.”
