FG has shifted focus from national carrier to supporting local airlines - Keyamo

Festus Keyamo, the minister of aviation and aerospace development has revealed that the Federal Government will no longer fund the national carrier project. Instead, the government will focus on supporting local carriers to thrive.

Keyamo made this known during the launch of the book “100 Years of Civil Aviation In Nigeria: History, Issues and Prospects” by Wole Shadare in Lagos.

According to Keyamo, the government of President Tinubu is committed to drafting policies that will support the growth and development of local airlines. He cited recent policies that have enabled airlines to access aircraft for their operations, including the revised insurance regulation on leased aircraft. This move aims to make aircraft more accessible and reduce airfares in Nigeria.

“We have shifted focus to ensure growth and development for local operators through our policies,” Keyamo said.

He added that air traffic operators have been trained and retrained, and revenue leakages have been addressed to boost earnings.

The minister also disclosed that almost all foreign airlines have complied with his directive to patronise local caterers for in-flight catering. He promised to build a smart airport and would seek the necessary approvals from the President to make it happen.

Related News

Keyamo lamented the state of the old terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), which has not seen any improvement since 1997. He emphasized the need to pull it down and build a new one.

In her remarks, Olubunmi Kuku, Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), highlighted the growth of the aviation sector. She noted that Nigeria currently has 39 certified airline operators, 31 airports nationwide, and over 2,100 licensed pilots.

According to Kuku, the aviation sector contributes approximately $1.7 billion to the country’s GDP, with private airlines connecting cities efficiently and international carriers recognising Nigeria as a critical market.

Kuku emphasised that despite challenges such as infrastructure deficiencies, regulatory frameworks, and financing requirements, there is still substantial potential for growth. She encouraged investors to see these challenges as opportunities.

The author of the launched book, Wole Shadare, described the 25-chapter book as a comprehensive account of the aviation industry’s evolution in Nigeria over the past 100 years. The book aims to aid scholars and researchers in understanding the industry’s history and prospects.

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.