Nigeria has highest number of private jets in Africa - Keyamo

Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has disclosed that Nigeria currently has the largest fleet of private jets in Africa, describing the development as an opportunity to deepen partnerships with global aircraft manufacturers and expand the country’s aviation industry.

Keyamo made the disclosure on Saturday in Montréal, Canada, during the Federal Government’s strategic engagement with leading aircraft manufacturers following a working visit to Bombardier’s Laurent Beaudoin Completion Centre.

According to a statement by Tunde Moshood, the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, the visit concluded a series of engagements with four major aircraft Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) — Boeing, Airbus, Embraer and Bombardier — aimed at improving Nigerian airlines’ access to modern aircraft, financing and technical support.

The minister said Nigeria’s growing business aviation market makes the country a significant player in the global aviation industry.

“Nigeria has the highest number of private jets in Africa. That is a huge market, and we want to leverage that strength to build stronger relationships with manufacturers, create opportunities for our operators and support the overall growth of our aviation industry,” Keyamo said.

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He said the Federal Government’s objective was to connect Nigerian operators directly with aircraft manufacturers to modernise fleets, improve safety standards, enhance operational efficiency and promote sustainable growth in the aviation sector.

“Our objective has always been clear — to connect Nigerian operators directly with the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers and create opportunities that will strengthen indigenous capacity, modernise our fleets, improve safety, enhance operational efficiency and ensure the long-term sustainability of our aviation industry,” he said.

The delegation included the Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Chris Najomo; Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs Olubunmi Kuku; Nigeria’s Representative on the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Engr. Mahmoud Sani Ben-Tukur, and other government officials and industry stakeholders.

Keyamo said the Tinubu administration remains committed to creating an enabling environment for indigenous operators through strategic partnerships with global aircraft manufacturers, aimed at improving safety, operational efficiency and the long-term sustainability of Nigeria’s aviation industry.

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.