Finchglow Holdings has announced plans to establish a new pilot training facility at the Gateway International Agro-Cargo Airport in Ogun State in a bid to address the growing demand for skilled aviation personnel and expand human capital development in West Africa.
Bankole Bernard, the Group Managing Director of Finchglow Holdings, disclosed this during a media briefing on Tuesday in Lagos, where he outlined the conglomerate’s strategic plans to boost domestic aviation capacity and build on the success of its existing training institutions.
Addressing journalists, Bernard explained that the proposed flight school in Ogun State will focus heavily on core flight training, starting with piloting and aeronautical engineering programs, adding that the facility will operate as an extension of the group’s established training capabilities.
Bernard revealed that the regulatory process with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) will proceed seamlessly because the initiative is structured as an expansion of Finchglow’s existing aviation training licensing rather than a fresh start.
“NCAA cannot stop the game because we have our license already,” Bernard noted. “This is just going to be an addition to our existing license, it’s not like they’re starting anything fresh. They will approve our extension, inspect the facility, and once we have the application from the state government, the rest is history.”
He said the choice of the Gateway Agro-Cargo Airport in Ogun State aligns with strategic operational needs.
Unlike the congested airspace around Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, the Ogun State facility provides ample airspace, lower traffic density, and modern runway infrastructure ideal for flight maneuvers and continuous student sorties.
Bernard stressed that the group is moving aggressively with the project, noting that “we are already at a point where we don’t have to wait any longer.”
A key motivation behind establishing the flying school is the need to deliver top-tier, uncompromised aviation education locally.
While flight training globally requires significant capital investment, Bernard emphasised that Finchglow’s focus remains firmly fixed on standard and appeal rather than competing on low pricing.
“We cannot start talking about affordability because what is important first is to create something that will appeal to the people,” he stated. “When we started, we realized that if we’re going to keep to the standard, we have to try something different for ourselves.”
By establishing a modern, localised flight school, Finchglow aims to bridge the domestic pilot shortage, reduce the heavy financial burden on Nigerian students traveling abroad for flight training, and retain essential foreign exchange within the domestic economy.
Beyond the announcement of the new flying school, the Finchglow boss weighed in heavily on structural issues affecting Nigeria’s aviation sector, particularly surrounding the collection of the five percent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) by the NCAA.
Bernard defended the integrity of the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) platform.
He clarified that tickets issued through the automated BSP system face zero revenue leakages because TSC funds are automatically remitted directly to regulatory agencies.
He said the five percent TSC is passenger-funded money held in trust by airlines, not airline revenue, and must be promptly remitted to regulators.
Bernard urged the government to apply standard accounting principles by writing off uncollectible “legacy debts” spanning 10 to 15 years to allow the sector to start on a clean slate.
He advocated for full digital automation across airports to replace manual pen-and-paper passenger counting, eliminating discrepancies in data between regulatory bodies.
Bernard also challenged domestic airlines and aviation regulators to adopt global best practices, enforce transparent processes, and maintain ethical standards to build investor confidence and foster long-term growth across Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem.
