KEYAMO’S TRIPLE WIN FOR NIGERIAN AVIATION

The aviation ministry is driving reform with a clear focus on safety, regulation, and capacity,  argues  EMAMEH GABRIEL

 Over the past two years, Nigeria has signaled its firm intention to secure a formidable presence in the global aviation ecosystem through a dual-track strategy: pursuing deep-rooted domestic reform alongside an assertive international partnership drive. For the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, these are the twin engines powering the sector’s ascent—a mission to first fortify its foundations at home, and then strategically articulate that progress to the world.

The scale of the domestic challenge is significant. Nigeria’s aviation landscape, vital for West African connectivity, has long been defined by immense potential hampered by systemic hurdles. The government’s Renewed Hope Agenda has therefore zeroed in on a clear priority: fixing the basics.

A central pillar of this is the empowerment of the human element within the aviation ecosystem. Recognising that the most advanced technology is only as reliable as the people who operate it, this has prompted a strategic shift towards enhancing the recruitment, training, and retention of critical staff, particularly air traffic controllers. These professionals form the invisible backbone of the sector, their expertise and alertness guiding millions of passengers safely through increasingly busy skies. Modernisation efforts extend to critical infrastructure, with the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency driving forward plans to upgrade communication, navigation, and surveillance systems. This technical overhaul is designed to enhance efficiency, capacity, and, most importantly, the safety margins for all air travel within the region.

 Running parallel to this operational push has been a sweeping programme of legal and regulatory reform. This initiative directly confronted a primary impediment the minister identified upon taking office: a critical lack of investor confidence. Understanding that this confidence is built on certainty and security, the Nigerian government moved decisively to align its frameworks with global best practices.

The ratification and full implementation of the Cape Town Convention is a landmark achievement in this regard. For international aircraft lessors and financiers, this convention provides the legal certainty that had previously been a point of contention. It effectively de-risks asset-backed financing by clarifying and securing the rights of creditors, making the process of leasing and purchasing aircraft for Nigerian operators more straightforward and cost-effective.

 Complementing this is the adoption of the Irrevocable Deregistration and Export Request Authorisation (IDERA). This mechanism acts as a crucial safeguard, assuring financiers that in the event of a default, they have a clear and enforceable path to repossess an aircraft. These reforms are not theoretical policy documents; they are practical instruments that have already begun to alter the risk calculus for international capital, unlocking new financing streams and facilitating a necessary modernisation of airline fleets across the country.

It is this demonstrable progress on domestic governance that provided the foundational credibility for the recent pitch to the international community. At a high-level business forum in Brussels, the narrative shifted from internal reform to external invitation. The message from the Nigerian delegation was clear: Nigeria has done its homework and is now open for committed partnerships. The minister’s team led by the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Captain Chris Najomo, presented a detailed portfolio ripe for collaboration to European business leaders and investors. These included the ongoing expansion and modernisation of airport terminals and cargo facilities across the country’s network of over thirty airports, including five major international gateways. A significant focus was placed on the development of world-class Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities within Nigeria, an initiative that would capture a substantial market currently served abroad, retaining revenue and creating high-skill jobs.

 The vision extended to the frontiers of the industry, with calls for investment in green aviation projects. This includes exploring the development of solar-powered airport infrastructure and carbon-neutral initiatives, positioning Nigeria’s aviation sector for a sustainable future. The government also highlighted opportunities in advanced training partnerships to cultivate the next generation of pilots, engineers, and aviation managers, as well as in the integration of digital innovation to modernise air traffic systems and enhance safety analytics.

This comprehensive suite of opportunities was framed within a broader economic vision that reimagines the aviation sector not as a standalone industry, but as a central nervous system for national economic diversification, a catalyst for trade, tourism, and cross-border collaboration.

The synergy between the domestic actions and the international appeals is the most compelling part of this story. The rigorous training of an air traffic controller in Lagos directly impacts the safety metrics an international insurer would assess. The modernisation of air navigation infrastructure makes the business case for investing in a new cargo hub in Abuja significantly more robust. The legal protections offered by the Cape Town Convention give a European lessor the confidence to place a new, fuel-efficient aircraft with a Nigerian airline. Each internal reform strengthens a link in the chain, building a cohesive and attractive ecosystem for growth.

This concerted effort paints a picture of a ministry and a government that is methodically addressing the aviation sector’s challenges from the ground up. It is a strategy that acknowledges a simple truth: in the global economy, promises are cheap, but demonstrated action is the currency of trust.

By driving reform at home with a clear-eyed focus on safety, regulation, and capacity, Festus Keyamo’s team is generating the substance that makes their pitch for international partnership a credible invitation to co-invest in a tangible and unfolding success story. The work is arduous and continuous, but the trajectory is defined—a steady ascent towards a safer, more efficient, and economically vibrant aviation future for Nigeria and the wider region.

Gabriel writes from Lagos