By Peter Omopo
Governor Babagana Zulum has approved a N12.9 billion scholarship scheme to sponsor 54 indigenes of Borno State to study aeronautics, engineering and professional certifications at Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management.
The governor’s Senior Technical Assistant on Print and Digital Communications, Abdulrahman Bundi, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, noting that the programme includes basic pilot training.
The beneficiaries will specialise in various fields, including Aerospace Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Software Engineering and Systems Engineering.
At a ceremony held at the Government House in Maiduguri on Thursday night, Zulum presented a cheque of N2.5 billion to the institution to cover annual tuition and related expenses. The full five-year package is valued at N12.9 billion.
Addressing the students, the governor urged them to remain focused and dedicated to their studies, emphasising that the opportunity goes beyond gaining admission.
“What matters most is not just gaining admission, but how focused you will be in your studies. I advise you to remain dedicated and become good ambassadors of our state,” he said.
Zulum explained that the selection process was designed to ensure fairness, with two students chosen from each of Borno’s 27 local government areas.
In addition to covering tuition, the governor approved an immediate financial support package of N500,000 for each beneficiary to cater for resumption logistics and incidental expenses.
The State Commissioner for Education, Lawan Abba Wakilbe, said the scholarship attracted more than 3,000 applications from across the state. He noted that 1,200 candidates were initially shortlisted and sat for a written examination, from which the final 54 beneficiaries emerged.
Wakilbe described the initiative as part of the administration’s commitment to human capital development and youth empowerment.
Founder of the university, Isaac Balami, commended the governor for the initiative and assured that the students would receive world-class training. He expressed optimism that the beneficiaries could play a role in producing Nigeria’s first locally manufactured aircraft.
