AAAU needs statutory funding to tackle aviation manpower deficit – Stakeholders

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s aviation sector have called on the National Assembly to include the African Aviation and Aerospace University (AAAU), Abuja, in the statutory revenue-sharing formula for the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC), arguing that sustainable funding for the institution is essential to addressing the country’s aviation manpower deficit.

The call was made on Thursday during a public hearing on two aviation bills organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, where the Acting Vice-Chancellor of AAAU, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, said Nigeria’s aviation future depends not only on investment in infrastructure but also in the human capital needed to sustain the industry.

According to Abdullahi, “The future of Nigeria’s aviation industry depends not only on funding infrastructure and regulation, but also on investing in the people who will design, regulate, operate and sustain that infrastructure.”

He added that the federally owned university was established to fulfil that national responsibility and therefore deserves a sustainable source of funding.

Abdullahi argued that the proposed amendment to the law governing the sharing formula for the Ticket Sales Charge provides an opportunity to strengthen the aviation sector by aligning funding with long-term manpower development.

He urged lawmakers to recognise AAAU as a statutory beneficiary of the revenue because it is Nigeria’s only specialised university dedicated to aviation, aerospace and allied disciplines.

The acting vice-chancellor noted that all aviation agencies rely on competent professionals produced through specialised training, stressing that investment in AAAU is ultimately an investment in agencies such as the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and future aviation institutions.

ALSO READ: Indian journalist sentenced to 10 years for rape 

He maintained that aviation revenue should finance not only current operations but also the next generation of professionals.

“The revenue-sharing formula should reflect the entire aviation value chain. The current arrangement largely recognises operational agencies, even though the sector is sustained by four pillars: regulation, air navigation services, safety oversight and human capital development.

“The first three pillars receive statutory funding. The fourth pillar does not. This creates an imbalance that should be corrected through this amendment,” he said.

Abdullahi also noted that the relocation of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau from the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development to the Presidency presents an opportunity for lawmakers to review the existing revenue-sharing formula and accommodate AAAU as a strategic institution for aviation manpower development.

He added that additional funding would enable the university to establish internationally accredited aviation laboratories, expand aerospace engineering facilities, strengthen aviation research and innovation, train professionals locally instead of overseas, reduce dependence on foreign aviation institutions and produce industry-ready graduates.

Making a formal appeal to lawmakers, Abdullahi said: “The African Aviation and Aerospace University respectfully prays the National Assembly to recognise AAAU as a statutory beneficiary of the 5% Ticket Sales Charge, amend the Civil Aviation Act to expressly include AAAU in the revenue-sharing framework and allocate not less than 10% of the Ticket Sales Charge to AAAU in recognition of its strategic role in developing aviation manpower, promoting research and innovation, and supporting the sustainable growth of Nigeria’s aviation sector.”

Also speaking, Business Consultant at Human Capital Associate Global Consult, Olusegun Lijofi, said the university requires strong institutional support to bridge critical human resource gaps and build research capacity for air safety.

He stressed that a government-backed legislative framework to support AAAU was urgently needed, adding that, “Fixing AAAU is a giant stride towards resolving one of the pressing challenges on the continent, which is the huge manpower deficit in the aviation sector.”