An international aviation company, Sofema Aviation Services (SAS), has entered into a partnership with the Eastwing Aviation Institute (EAI) to expand the Sofema Bursary Programme. Through this collaboration, the organisations will provide over 525 European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)-compliant aviation programmes for Nigerians.
Details of the Partnership
Executive Director of the Eastwing Youth Foundation, Mr. Christian Agadibe, disclosed this in a statement released in Enugu. He explained that SAS is a Sofia, Bulgaria-based aviation training and consultancy company established in 2008 to provide regulatory and vocational training to the aviation industry.
Agadibe said the initiative was designed to strengthen aviation capacity in Nigeria by offering students and industry professionals access to internationally recognised, high-level training. He added that the collaboration followed the success of the Southeast Aviation Summit and Eastwing Youth Competition, which highlighted a critical need for robust investment in aviation education and technical skill development across Africa.
Course Offerings
Under this partnership, EAI will collaborate with SAS and Sofema Online (SOL) to deliver a comprehensive portfolio of over 525 specialised online courses. These programmes are meticulously designed to meet EASA standards and cover essential industry pillars, including Safety Management Systems (SMS), Continuing Airworthiness (CAMO), aviation quality assurance, maintenance planning and compliance, and leadership and management in aviation.
Agadibe added that the agreement aims to bridge the competency gap, ensuring that young Nigerian professionals possess the globally aligned skills required to thrive in a highly regulated international market.
CEO's Statement
The statement quoted the Chief Executive Officer of SAS, Steve-Bentley FRAeS, as emphasising that the partnership was more than just a training agreement. He said, 'At Sofema, our mission has always been to democratise access to world-class regulatory training. By partnering with the Eastwing Youth Foundation, we are not just providing course materials; we are empowering the next generation of African aviation leaders with the tools to excel within an EASA-compliant environment. We are proud to support this initiative with a €10,000 training bursary, ensuring that financial barriers do not stand in the way of professional excellence and industry safety.'
Background of Sofema
Since its founding in 2008, SAS has established itself as a cornerstone of industry education, partnering with over 3,500 aviation entities globally and issuing more than 700,000 certificates of completion.
