The Founder of Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management (IBUAM), Engr. Isaac Balami, has clarified that the N12.9 billion scholarship approved by Governor Babagana Zulum for 54 Borno indigenes is not a one-time payment, but a five-year comprehensive training package covering tuition, professional certifications, accommodation, insurance and technical exposure.
Balami said the funds would not go into his personal pocket, contrary to insinuations by some groups, including certain Borno elders and members of the Biu Forum.
Recall that Governor Zulum last Thursday in Maiduguri announced the approval of N12.9 billion to sponsor 54 students to study aeronautics and engineering-related courses at IBUAM, located in Oshodi, Lagos.
The beneficiaries will undergo five years of intensive training in fields including Aerospace Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Software Engineering, Systems Engineering and professional pilot training.
The announcement, however, sparked criticism on social media, with some residents questioning the justification for committing such funds amid economic hardship and post-insurgency recovery challenges in the state. Critics alleged political or ethnic bias in the selection process and argued that many displaced persons and struggling families deserved priority.
The Borno State Government has since dismissed the allegations, maintaining that the process was transparent and merit-based. According to officials, over 3,000 candidates applied, 1,200 were shortlisted for examination, and 54 top-performing students emerged. Two candidates were selected from each of the state’s 27 local government areas to ensure equitable spread.
The Commissioner for Education, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe, described the initiative as part of Governor Zulum’s commitment to human capital development and long-term investment in education.
Reacting in a statement on Wednesday, Balami expressed shock at what he described as misinformation surrounding the scholarship scheme.
“It is imperative to set the record straight regarding the N12.9 billion approval made by Governor Babagana Zulum. This is a five-year package covering world-class technical training, certifications, accommodation, insurance, leadership programmes and professional exposure. The money is not going into my pocket,” he said.
Balami explained that IBUAM’s fees are competitive when compared to global aviation institutions such as Cranfield University in the United Kingdom and Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University in the United States.
He noted that pilot training alone in some West African countries can cost up to $100,000 for just 18 months, excluding accommodation and other expenses, without necessarily earning a university degree.
According to him, IBUAM offers students both academic degrees and professional licenses, including Nigerian and European certifications, enabling graduates to work internationally upon completion.
Balami added that the package includes health insurance, accommodation, industrial exposure, hands-on hangar experience, aircraft maintenance participation, and advanced global leadership and project management certification.
“No university in the world combines degree programmes, multiple licenses, and this level of practical exposure in one package the way we are doing,” he stated.
He further revealed that Governor Zulum, alongside top state officials, visited the university and inspected its facilities before approving the scholarship.
Balami, who himself benefitted from a Borno State scholarship under former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff, urged critics to avoid politicising an initiative he described as a strategic investment in the future of Borno youths.
“This is about building capacity and creating globally competitive professionals. Nobody will build Nigeria for us. We must build it ourselves,” he said.
He called on the public to disregard what he described as attempts by a few individuals to tarnish the institution’s image, insisting that the initiative would reposition the aviation sector in Nigeria and across Africa. End
