The Eastwing Aviation Institute in Enugu has urged Igbo youths to key into its training to explore opportunities in the aviation sector.

The deputy provost of EAI, Babalola Abioye, said this during a press briefing on Friday in Enugu, organised by the school and LoFish Global Travel and Tours, Enugu.

According to him, the school offers training on piloting, aircraft engineering, cabin crew, flight dispatch, luggage handling, aviation management and others but regretted that 80 per cent of its students were not from the South-East.

Mr Abioye also decried that most workers in the country’s airline are expatriates, urging Igbo youths to fill the gap.

“This is why the institute, through its foundation – the Eastwing Youth Foundation – is organising a two-day summit tagged ‘Face of Eastwing/Aviation Summit 2025’ in Enugu come August.

“It is targeting about 5,000 youths, industrial professionals and hospitality businesses from the five South Eastern states and youths between the ages of 18 and 30 are expected to attend. They can apply to attend the summit through https://eai-ng.com/face-of-eastwing/,” he said.

He also mentioned that the South-East had been lagging behind in the aviation sector, adding that there was a need to awaken their consciousness to be part of the sector through the summit.

“We at Eastwing Youth Foundation believe that it is time to balance the equation. For too long, the Southeast has lagged in this sector—not due to ability, but due to lack of opportunity. The Face of Eastwing/Aviation Summit 2025 is designed to change that narrative,” he explained.

He further said the foundation would be working with reputable brands such as Phoenix Crest Hospitality Services, Nigerian Connect, LoFish Global Travel and Tours and Artmatazz Media, among others, both locally and internationally.

The provost urged South-East governors and wealthy individuals and organisations to sponsor students to enrol in the school.

(NAN)