How Keyamo is strengthening aviation skill pipeline through NCAT

For years, the Nigerian aviation industry  was defined not by the height of its ambitions, but by the weight of its anchors: a volatile policy landscape, a tough operating environment, and a crumbling infrastructural base that forced many indigenous carriers into early graves.

These were not merely “challenges”; they were systemic failures that saw Nigeria’s wings clipped on the global stage.

At the heart of this decline were agelong bottlenecks that felt immovable. International lessors, weary of the “high-risk” tag attached to the Nigerian market, effectively blacklisted local operators.

Domestic airlines, unable to secure the sustainable and flexible ‘dry leases’ enjoyed by their continental peers, were forced into the high costs of ‘wet leases,’ where they paid for aircraft, crew, and insurance in scarce foreign dollars.

The financial friction was equally stifling. Ticket sales from foreign airlines became “trapped funds,” a growing debt mountain that peaked at a staggering $850 million by mid-2023.

Nigeria found itself atop IATA’s list of global debtors—a major challenge that prompted major carriers like Emirates to suspend operations and others to spike ticket prices beyond the reach of the average citizen.

However, the arrival of Festus Keyamo, as the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, acted as a strategic disruption to this status quo.

Inheriting a graveyard of controversial projects—most notably the opaque “Nigeria Air” venture—Keyamo pivoted toward the path of transparency and ‘sartorial engineering’ of the sector.

Rather than managing the decline, Keyamo chose to dismantle the cabals. Within months, his intervention saw the Central Bank of Nigeria clear 98 percent of all valid foreign exchange backlogs, effectively removing Nigeria from the global ‘blocked funds’ list.

This singular act of stewardship didn’t just bring Emirates back to Nigerian airports’ runways; it restored investors’ confidence.

Today, the narrative is shifting from ‘Blacklisted’ to ‘Benchmark.’ By ensuring strict adherence to Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASA), Keyamo has championed reciprocity, empowering local giants like Air Peace to contest for slots at primary global hubs like London Gatwick.

Through his intervention, Nigeria’s Cape Town Convention compliance score has surged, unlocking the doors for domestic airlines to finally access the aircraft they need to grow.

The minister has been able to address  major problems as he strengthened the security arrangements at the airports, and successfully stopped airports’ land encroachment.

Keyamo received the approval of the Federal Government for the procurement of modern scanners for use in five international airports across Nigeria, thereby addressing major infrastructure challenge across airports in Nigeria.

The airports are the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA) and Enugu International Airport, Enugu.

Under Keyamo’s leadership, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) re-certified the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja, a significant step after their previous certifications lapsed in 2020, marking improvements in safety standards in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) requirements.

Milestones at NCAT 

At the centre of Festus Keyamo’s innovation in Nigeria’s aviation sector is the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) Zaria.

Keyamo’s intervention has made the institution stand as a beacon of excellence in aviation training not just in Nigeria but Africa, attracting students from various parts of the world.

As the largest Approved Training Organisation (ATO) in Aviation in Africa, NCAT has been instrumental in shaping the careers of numerous pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, air traffic controllers, and other aviation experts.

The college has six schools, covering various courses that meet the needs of the aviation industry: The Flying school; Aviation Management school; Aircraft Maintenance Engineering School; Aeronautical Telecommunications Engineering School; Air Traffic Services Communications School; and the Aerodrome Safety Engineering School.

At the Flying School, instructors train pilots and cabin crew. Pilots are trained right from the initial to commercial pilot license stage.

There are various training aircraft for training pilots which include Diamond DA40-NG, DA42-NG, TB-9 Tampico, a single-engine, four-seat light aircraft and Beechcraft Baron, light, twin-engine piston aircraft known for its versatility and performance, amongst others.

The Flying School also has a simulator for initial training before the students fly the aircraft.

NCAT’s global reach is demonstrated by its partnerships with civil aviation authorities in Africa, including South Sudan, Egypt, Congo, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger, and Cameroon.

Under the leadership of Keyamo, these partnerships have led to Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) for training programs, enabling NCAT to share its expertise and provide high-quality training to aviation professionals worldwide. The college’s Platinum Membership with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is a testament to its commitment to excellence and international standards.

The institution currently has a unit called the Instructional Systems Design Unit (ISDU) that coordinates the running of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) specialized courses.

ISDU is responsible for developing and optimizing aviation training methods using effective design principles. This unit focuses on improving how pilots and aviation personnel are trained, ensuring high standards for instruction and learning within Nigeria’s premier aviation training center.

The College have managed to run all its courses through the unwavering support of the Ministry of Aviation; under the leadership of Keyamo. His interventions have helped NCAT to consistently earn its place of pride as a global aviation training center of repute.

This contributes to NCAT’s mission as a leading aviation training hub in Nigeria, aligning with global standards like ICAO.

The College has moved from an ICAO Regional Centre of Excellence to now: ICAO TRAINAIR PLUS Centre of Excellence (Platinum status).

The College which will hold prestigious Platinum Member status from 2025 to 2027, is recognized for its commitment to global aviation training standards.

This entails great efforts at recurrent training the trainers; ensuring the updated validity of their training Licence; and also delivering on the numerous ICAO accredited Courses.

Huge fiscal expenditure is at the core of providing NCAT’s trainings both physically and virtually.

Recent innovations at NCAT under Festus Keyamo focuses on boosting training with advanced simulators (like the African-leading fire simulator) and strategic partnerships (like with NARICT for research), while addressing infrastructure gaps through potential revenue from these assets, aiming to modernize facilities, enhance flight training (like nighttime operations), and meet global aviation demands.

A highlight of key innovations and initiatives include:

Advanced fire simulation: NCAT boasts one of Africa’s most advanced fire simulators, attracting international interest (e.g., Sudan, Gambia) for training, generating potential revenue.

Strategic partnerships: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT) aims for joint research in aerospace, safety, security, and renewables.

Infrastructure modernization: Efforts focus on upgrading training tools, including PC-based simulators, and addressing the runway’s daytime-only status to enable nighttime training, vital for closing capacity gaps.

Addressing operational challenges: The college seeks investment to overcome infrastructure deficits and brain drain (pilots leaving for better pay) to sustain its role as a premier training hub.

The Minister of Aviation has always been willing and forthcoming in granting the College needed supports. No doubt, the entire aviation community in Nigeria has been greatly impacted by the visionary and hands on leadership of Festus Keyamo. His sound judgement and forthrightness has also made Danjuma Ismaila’s one year tenure as Rector, NCAT a very smooth and productive one.

Ismaila recently acknowledged that great and modest achievements have been recorded within the year, stressing that all thanks must go to Mr President of Nigeria for carefully appointing Keyamo as the Minister of Aviation.

Recognitions

Minister Festus Keyamo has received several recent awards for his work in aviation, notably the NEAPS 2025 Award for Excellence in Aviation Sector Reforms from the Nigerian Presidency (Dec 2025) and the Nigeria Aviation Icon of the Year Award at the Nigeria International Airshow (Dec 2025).

Other accolades include The Street Journal’s “Super Minister Award” (July 2024) and a Leadership & Excellence Award from aviation unions, recognizing his transformative impact on the sector.

Other key awards & recognitions include:
Nigeria Excellence Awards in Public Service (NEAPS) 2025: Distinguished Award of Excellence in Aviation Sector Reforms, presented by the Presidency for his leadership in advancing reforms and efficiency.

Nigeria International Airshow: Nigeria Aviation Icon of the Year Award (December 2025).
The Street Journal: “Super Minister Award” (July 2024).
Joint Aviation Trade Unions’ Forum: Leadership and Excellence Award (November 2024).
Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro: Fellowship Award for contributions to national development and aviation (February 2025).
The Sun Newspaper: Nominated for Minister of the Year Award (December 2024).

These awards consistently highlight Keyamo’s efforts in spearheading reforms to improve safety, infrastructure, and investor confidence in the aviation sector.

It also shows collaboration with aviation unions and stakeholders and promotion of growth, innovation, and global competitiveness in Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem.

Last line 

Danjuma Ismaila, the Rector/ Chief Executive of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) Zaria; on behalf of the entire Management, Staff and Students congratulated Festus Keyamo on his Birthday celebration.

“While wishing him a very Happy Birthday celebration; we reassure him of our thoughts and prayers for a continued sound health and needed supports to succeed in his official mandate for the aviation industry,” Ismaila said.