The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Festus Keyamo (SAN) yesterday explained to the Joint Aviation Committees of the National Assembly during the ministry budget defence session, why the Federal Government is decentralising the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology in Zaria across six geopolitical zones.
Keyamo stated that the decentralisation is aimed at expanding access to aviation training across the country.
Providing insights into the decision, the minister highlighted the historical significance and achievements of the institution, and the challenges it is currently facing.
Speaking about the College’s legacy, Keyamo noted, “Zaria has been a star for all of us. We have been very, very proud of Zaria. It has been there since 1964, serving the entire country. Most of our pilots, the captains you see today, passed through Zaria. It is actually a pride for us and has received commendations and certificates from all over the world.”
However, the Minister revealed that the growing population of students at the College has led to space constraints.
“We are having problems with space in Saria. You graciously approved it last year or the year before for us to buy an additional hotel in Saria because we couldn’t accommodate students on campus. That hotel is now an annex of the school, but we expect the population to grow beyond that,” he said.
Keyamo emphasised that the government faced a critical decision: whether to continue expanding within Zaria by purchasing more private properties or to create opportunities for other parts of the country to host aviation training facilities.
“Why continue to buy houses in Zaria to accommodate more population in a country of 240 million people who want access to the school? Other parts of this country should also have access to training facilities,” he stated.
Drawing a comparison with Nigeria’s legal education system, the Minister pointed out that the Nigerian Law School, which was established around the same time as the College of Aviation, has since expanded beyond Lagos to multiple campuses across the country.
“The same thing happened with the Law School. It started in Lagos in 1964, but now it has campuses all over the country. It is one country, Sir,” he explained.
Keyamo highlighted that other regions, such as Ebonyi State, which now hosts a campus, have expressed gratitude for the federal government’s decision to bring training facilities closer to their residents.
He reiterated the importance of equitable access to education and training across Nigeria.
The decentralisation of the College of Aviation is expected to address the challenges of overcrowding in Zaria while providing aspiring aviation professionals from other parts of the country with improved access to world-class training facilities.
