Zulum aeronautics scholarship
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has approved a ₦12.9 billion scholarship package to sponsor 54 Borno indigenes for aeronautics and engineering degree programmes, alongside professional certifications, at the Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management (IBUAM).
The announcement was made in a statement issued by Abdulrahman Bundi, Senior Technical Assistant to the governor on Print and Digital Communications, who said the programme also covers basic pilot training.
The development, which comes with official photographs of the presentation event, is being framed by the Borno government as a major investment in human capital, aimed at producing a new generation of aviation and engineering professionals from a state that has battled insecurity, displacement, and disrupted education for over a decade.
What Zulum approved and how the money breaks down
According to the state’s disclosure, the scholarship is structured as a five-year funding package valued at ₦12.9bn, with the Borno government presenting an initial cheque of ₦2.5bn to the institution to cover annual tuition and associated expenses.
Beyond tuition, Zulum also announced an immediate ₦500,000 support package per student to handle resumption logistics and other incidental costs, a move officials say is meant to reduce early pressure on the beneficiaries and their families.
This combination of tuition coverage and resumption support is why the Zulum aeronautics scholarship is drawing attention nationwide, not only for its size but for its detailed structure.
Courses and beneficiary distribution
Bundi’s statement listed the engineering specialisations covered under the scheme and the number of beneficiaries per track:
- Aerospace Engineering – 10
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering – 11
- Mechatronics Engineering – 11
- Software Engineering – 12
- Systems Engineering – 10
The governor also said the selection was designed to ensure statewide equity, with two students selected from each of Borno’s 27 Local Government Areas.
That LGA-based spread is a major part of the public messaging around the Zulum aeronautics scholarship, especially in a state where access to opportunity can be uneven across communities.
https://ogelenews.ng/zulum-aeronautics-scholarship-54-borno-students
Where and when the presentation happened
The scholarship rollout was unveiled at a brief ceremony at the Government House in Maiduguri on Thursday night, where Zulum presented the cheque and addressed the beneficiaries.
In his remarks, Zulum urged the students to stay focused and committed, stressing that the opportunity is bigger than admission letters.
“What matters most is not just gaining admission, but how focused you will be in your studies… become good ambassadors of our state,” the governor was quoted as saying.
The message was clear: the Zulum aeronautics scholarship is being positioned as a state investment with expectations, not a one-off gift.
How the students were selected
Borno Commissioner for Education, Lawan Abba Wakilbe, provided the clearest picture of the selection process, saying the scholarship drew massive interest across the state.
He disclosed that the ministry received over 3,000 applications, shortlisted them to 1,200 candidates, and then conducted a written examination from which the final 54 emerged.
Wakilbe described the programme as part of Zulum’s broader human capital drive, linking it to youth empowerment and education investment.
For observers, that competitive pipeline strengthens credibility, and it matters because any big scholarship programme quickly becomes controversial if the process looks unclear. On that point, the details released so far give the Zulum aeronautics scholarship a stronger footing.
Isaac Balami’s role and the “made-in-Nigeria aircraft” ambition
The founder of the university, Isaac Balami, who is also an indigene of Borno State, commended Zulum for the initiative and promised “world-class training” for the beneficiaries.
Balami also expressed confidence that the students could become part of Nigeria’s future aviation manufacturing dream, suggesting they could eventually help build the first made-in-Nigeria aircraft.
This ambition is central to how the Zulum aeronautics scholarship is being sold: not just degrees, but an attempt to plant Borno youths inside high-value technical industries where Nigeria currently imports skills and services.
Why the scholarship matters to Borno and Nigeria
Aviation and aeronautics training is expensive anywhere in the world, and in Nigeria, the cost barrier is one of the biggest reasons talented students never enter the field. If executed properly, the Zulum aeronautics scholarship could do three things:
- Create a pipeline of Borno-trained specialists in engineering and aviation-linked fields.
- Reduce unemployment pressure by targeting skills that are globally tradable.
- Strengthen Nigeria’s long-term aviation manpower base, particularly in maintenance, systems, and software-driven aviation services.
It also fits a pattern of Zulum’s governance style: high-visibility interventions tied to education and skills, often with a strong “results” framing.
What to watch next
The announcement is big, but the real test will be implementation. Key things to watch include:
- How the programme tracks performance and discipline over five years
- Whether the beneficiaries receive the promised certifications and pilot training components
- How Borno manages continuity of funding across budget cycles
- Whether the state expands the model beyond 54 students in future cycles
For now, the official position remains that the Zulum aeronautics scholarship is funded, structured, and already in motion.
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Zulum aeronautics scholarship
