Baze University buys two planes to boost aviation training

Baze University, located in Abuja, has bought two training aircraft from Austria to grow its aviation education program. The planes landed at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Friday. They received a traditional water salute, according to Nigerian news reports.

The university’s founder and Pro-Chancellor, Datti Baba-Ahmed, shared the news of this purchase. He said it would help improve Nigeria’s aviation training capacity and create skilled professionals. The Vice-Chancellor, Abiodun Adeniyi, who is a professor, also called this move part of a bigger plan to build institutions that help national development.

This purchase is another step in Baze University’s growth. The university has already invested in higher education and healthcare before now venturing into aviation training. On Saturday, Mr Adeniyi shared his thoughts on Facebook. He said this development shows entrepreneurship that comes from vision, patience, hard work, and smart risk-taking.

He added that this purchase shows how businesses can expand through personal investment, borrowing, and reinvestment. It is a way to grow instead of waiting to gather all the money needed for expansion. “Successful entrepreneurs do not necessarily wait to become debt-free before expanding. They distinguish productive borrowing from reckless indebtedness, deploying resources into assets that create lasting economic value,” he wrote.

Mr Adeniyi emphasized that this investment is not just about making money. He said businesses in education, healthcare, and aviation can help national development. They can create jobs, build local skills, and develop human capital. He sees these investments as a sign of economic patriotism, where entrepreneurship meets national needs.

Plans for Aviation School

The two aircraft will help with practical flight training at Baze Aviation School. This school is being set up in Bwari, Federal Capital Territory. The university wants to mix classroom learning with real aviation training. The planned facilities include a dedicated runway, hangar, terminal building, laboratories, and simulation centres.

The Coordinator of the Aviation School, Aliyu Bello, mentioned that the aircraft will give students hands-on experience along with classroom instruction. Mr Baba-Ahmed stated that the school aims to train at least 600 professionals in areas like air traffic control, air rescue, and firefighting, pending approval from relevant authorities.

He also shared plans for a runway measuring 1,800 metres by 30 metres, with an extra 15 metres for a hub. The National Universities Commission has approved two undergraduate programs for the university for the 2026/2027 academic session. These are Aviation Management under the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences and Aerospace Engineering under the Faculty of Engineering.

Mr Adeniyi pointed out that the university will be the first private university in Africa to run its own aviation school.

Role of Private Investment

Mr Adeniyi's comments put the aircraft purchase in a wider discussion about private investment in Nigeria. The aviation sector needs skilled workers in many areas, such as pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, and air traffic controllers. Schools that mix academic instruction with practical training can help increase the number of skilled workers in this field.

Nonetheless, aviation training needs a lot of money. It requires heavy investment in aircraft, infrastructure, maintenance, safety systems, and following regulations. Mr Adeniyi stated that this development shows the need to keep a vision alive through uncertain times. He highlighted the investments that can create long-term economic value.

He traced Mr Baba-Ahmed’s journey from starting Baze University mainly with his funds, backed by bank loans, to investments in healthcare through Baze Hospital, higher education with Baba-Ahmed University in Kano, and now aviation training. The professor argued that investing in these areas can lessen reliance on foreign skills. It can also create chances for Nigerians to gain technical skills and join productive work.

He said we should not only look at the wealth created from entrepreneurship. We should also consider the institutions built, jobs provided, and national needs met. “Perhaps the lesson is that great enterprises are built not simply with money, but through vision, sacrifice, perseverance, and the capacity to transform ambition into productive institutions,” Mr Adeniyi wrote.

He added that when private businesses meet national development goals, it becomes more meaningful than just making money. The vice-chancellor congratulated Mr Baba-Ahmed on this acquisition. He called it another sign of a long-term investment strategy that could benefit more than just the investor.