The African Aviation and Aerospace University (AAAU), Abuja, has sought inclusion in the revenue sharing formula for the 5% Ticket Sales Charge distributed among agencies in Nigeria's aviation sector. Stakeholders made the call at a public hearing on two bills organised by the House Committee on Aviation, where Acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, argued that the future of Nigeria's aviation industry depends not only on funding infrastructure and regulation, but also on investing in the people who design, regulate, operate, and sustain that infrastructure.

Abdullahi explained that AAAU was established to fulfil this national responsibility, adding that including the University in the Ticket Sales Charge revenue sharing formula would provide a sustainable funding mechanism to strengthen the aviation ecosystem, enhance safety, build indigenous capacity, and advance Nigeria's ambition to become the leading aviation hub in Africa. He noted that the planned amendment of the laws governing the sharing formula presents an opportunity to align funding with both operational responsibilities and long term aviation manpower development.

He maintained that the Institution should be recognised as a statutory beneficiary of the revenue, occupying a unique position as the only specialised university in Nigeria dedicated to aviation, aerospace and allied disciplines. According to him, agencies across the sector depend primarily on competent professionals, meaning investment in AAAU is effectively investment in the NCAA, NAMA, NiMet, FAAN, NSIB and every future aviation institution.

Abdullahi stressed that revenue sharing should reflect the entire aviation value chain of Regulation, Air Navigation Services, Safety Oversight and Human Capital Development, noting that the first three pillars receive statutory funding while the fourth, aviation manpower development, does not under the current formula. He pointed out that the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, formerly the Accident Investigation Bureau, now operates under the Presidency rather than the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, an institutional shift he said creates room for the National Assembly to review the sharing formula and accommodate AAAU.

He explained that additional funding would allow AAAU to establish internationally accredited aviation laboratories, expand aerospace engineering facilities, support research and innovation, and train aviation professionals locally rather than abroad. AAAU is requesting recognition as a statutory beneficiary of the charge, an amendment to the Civil Aviation Act to include it in the revenue sharing framework, and allocation of not less than 10% of the charge to the University.

Also presenting, Business Consultant at Human Capital Associate Global Consult, Olusegun Lijofi, said AAAU needs strong support to bridge human resource gaps, build research infrastructure for air safety, and sustain specialised education addressing manpower shortages, describing legislative backing as critical to resolving the continent's aviation manpower deficit.