Aviation sector gets boost as Nigeria prepares to host ACI-Africa Confab

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has continued to strengthen its international standing, following the courtesy visit of Ali Tounsi, the Secretary-General of Airports Council International (ACI-Africa), to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, recently.

Tounsi’s visit forms part of his scheduled mission to Nigeria to evaluate the nation’s preparedness to host the ACI-Africa Regional Conference & Exhibition slated for October 2026, a landmark event expected to attract global aviation leaders, investors and industry influencers.

Accompanied by a high-level FAAN delegation led by Olubunmi Kuku, the managing director/chief executive, the Secretary-General met with the Minister to review Nigeria’s progress in key areas of readiness, logistics planning, and overall national support for the conference.

Also in attendance were the Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire; the Director of Commercial & Business Development, Adebola Agunbiade; and members of the Local Organising Committee (LOC).

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During the discussions, Tounsi expressed satisfaction with Nigeria’s level of commitment and highlighted the strategic value of the 2026 conference, noting that it presents a unique platform for Africa’s aviation stakeholders to converge, exchange insights, and promote sustainable development across the sector.

For FAAN, the visit further validated the strategic reforms and service improvements championed under the leadership of Kuku. The ongoing infrastructure modernisation, enhanced stakeholder engagement, and renewed focus on global best practices continue to position Nigeria as a credible host for aviation events of international scale.

Keyamo, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s full support, stating that the hosting of the conference aligns with the administration’s broader goal of strengthening Nigeria’s aviation industry, improving connectivity and attracting foreign investment.

Kuku, assured the Secretary-General of the Authority’s unwavering readiness to deliver a world-class conference, adding that preparations are progressing with clear timelines and strong inter-agency collaboration.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.