Minister of Aviation, Mr. Festus Keyamo has sought support of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for infrastructural development and personnel capacity building at the African Aviation and Aerospace University (AAAU).
Mr. Keyamo made the request while on a courtesy visit alongside top management staff of the institution to the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono at the TETFund Headquarters in Abuja recently.
Speaking during the visit, the Minister commended the Executive Secretary for his role in the establishment of the university while he served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, noting that the institution got its take-off grant in September 2023.
While disclosing that the institution was operating from a temporary site, Mr. Keyamo stated that his visit was to request the Fund’s intervention to enable the university move to its permanent site.
He further revealed that while the university received over 1000 submissions from students last year, it could barely accept 10 percent of the submission due to limited facility. He, therefore, appealed to the Fund to assist in fast-tracking the infrastructural development in the institution.
In his response, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono assured the Minister that the Fund would provide the required intervention for the provision of infrastructural and research facilities at the newly established university.
He stated that the establishment of the university was critical to the advancement of the aviation sector as it would contribute efficiently to economic growth. He added that developing domestic capacity and expertise in various sectors and key industries would maximize the great potential available in the country and reposition Nigeria on a global scale.
He noted that the Fund would extend the necessary support towards making the university meet global standard.
