What started as a modest training initiative in a single room with just 12 students has grown, within a decade, into an aviation and travel management institution that has trained and certified more than 7,000 professionals working across Nigeria, Africa and beyond.
For Dr Oludayo Taiwo Gideon, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Aeroport College of Aviation & Travel Management (ACATM), the journey has been defined by faith, resilience and a determination to bridge the skills gap in the aviation, travel and tourism industries.
As the institution celebrates its 10th anniversary, Gideon is reflecting on a decade of growth, expanding international recognition and the careers built through its professional training programmes.
Recalling the institution’s humble beginnings, he said its first induction ceremony attracted just 12 students, while its maiden convocation produced 113 graduates. Today, more than 7,000 professionals have passed through its training and certification programmes.
For Gideon, however, the real measure of success goes beyond enrolment and graduation figures. It lies in the opportunities created for young people and the growing presence of its graduates across the aviation and tourism value chain.
According to him, former students now work as cabin crew members, flight dispatchers, airport ground handlers, protocol officers and customer service professionals. Others have advanced into managerial positions or established businesses of their own.
He noted that several companies in Nigeria’s travel industry now employ Aeroport graduates in different capacities, including management positions. In some instances, demand for the college’s graduates has exceeded the number available for placement.
Gideon considers this growing industry acceptance a strong endorsement of the institution’s training model and relevance.
Beyond Nigeria, the founder said one of his greatest sources of satisfaction has been meeting former students who have become successful entrepreneurs and chief executives in different countries.
Encounters with these alumni at major international industry gatherings, including the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai and World Travel Market in London, have reinforced his belief that Nigerian-trained professionals can compete effectively in the global marketplace.
The college’s expanding international profile is also reflected in its student population. Over the years, ACATM has attracted students from Ghana, Benin Republic, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, The Gambia, the United Kingdom and the United States, among other countries.
Through a strategic partnership with a Cameroonian company, the institution has also established a liaison presence in Cameroon to strengthen its regional operations and reach.
“We are no longer just a Nigerian college. We are becoming a West African, and indeed global, institution,” Gideon said.
The expansion reflects an ambition to position the college as a recognised destination for professional aviation, travel and tourism education across Africa.
