A Nigerian doctoral student at the Florida Institute of Technology in the United States, Omololu Alaba Balogun, has appealed to Nigerians, corporate organisations and the Federal Government for financial assistance to enable him complete his PhD programme in Aviation Science. NigerianBusiness Directory
Balogun said he is struggling to pay his tuition for the Fall 2026 semester after failing to secure a scholarship for the programme, despite benefiting from financial aid during his previous studies.
According to him, he needs $14,190 to settle his tuition fees for the current semester and is at risk of being unable to continue his studies if the payment is not made before the deadline.Speaking about his situation, Balogun said restrictions on international students’ work hours have made it impossible for him to earn enough to cover his tuition, while the funds he initially set aside for the programme have been depleted by the unfavorable naira-to-dollar exchange rate.
He said: “I am currently going through a lot. The 20 hours per week international students are allowed to work is not enough to raise my school fees, which is about $14,190 for the Fall 2026 semester.
“I cannot sleep well at night because my fees have not been settled, and time is running out.“I do not want to lose my place at the school, as I am at risk of being unable to continue my studies.”
He appealed to well-meaning Nigerians, philanthropists and organisations to support him financially, while also calling on the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Mr Festus Keyamo, SAN, and the Minister of Education Mr Maruf Tunji Alausa to intervene. NigerianBusiness Directory
“I need financial sponsorship to enable me complete my PhD programme in Aviation Science,” he pleaded. Balogun’s appeal comes weeks after he earned international recognition alongside fellow PhD student Thapanut Munkong for developing an innovative airport safety solution.
The pair, both students at Florida Institute of Technology’s College of Aeronautics, won third place in the Airport Safety, Operations and Maintenance category of the 2025–2026 Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) University Design Competition.
Their project, titled “Autonomous Wingtip-Detection Robots for Apron Safety,” was recognised for its innovative approach to improving airport safety by using autonomous robots to monitor aircraft wingtips and establish real-time safety boundaries during ground operations.
The project was supervised by Professor Debbie Carstens, Graduate Program Chair and Professor of Aviation Human Factors at the university.
Commending the students’ achievement, Carstens said the competition demonstrated how academic research could be transformed into practical solutions for the aviation industry.
“The ACRP projects provide a way for students to learn and apply human factors methods to real-world problems that optimise safety. I’m very proud of their effort,” she said.
The Airport Cooperative Research Program University Design Competition is sponsored by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and administered by the Transportation Research Board. It encourages university students to develop innovative solutions that improve airport safety, operations and infrastructure.
Despite the international recognition for his research, Balogun said financial constraints now threaten his ability to continue his doctoral studies, prompting his appeal for urgent support.
His contact details are as follows:
