The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has said reforms introduced under President Bola Tinubu’s administration have increased competition among airlines, attracted new carriers and aircraft into Nigeria, and contributed to improved aviation safety.
Keyamo spoke in Abuja at the 35th Airports Council International (ACI) Africa Annual General Assembly, Board and Committee Meetings, Regional Conference and Exhibition, where he also highlighted ongoing efforts to upgrade airport infrastructure and expand air connectivity.
The minister said the reforms, including the implementation of the Cape Town Convention and measures to attract foreign investment and aircraft, had helped improve access to aircraft and open new routes.
“We have created healthy competition among the airlines because they now have access to aircraft and the impact of the reforms are felt across the sector,” he said.
Nigeria’s aviation market recorded more than 18.8 million domestic and international passenger movements in 2025, representing an 11.9 per cent year-on-year increase and making it the fourth-largest aviation market in Africa, according to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
Keyamo also cited the rehabilitation and expansion of airport infrastructure, including ongoing work at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Terminal 1 in Lagos, as evidence of the government’s efforts to improve aviation facilities.
He said improvements were also being made to runways and other airport infrastructure nationwide, with the Federal Government focused on positioning Nigeria as a major aviation hub.
On safety, Keyamo pointed to Nigeria’s 91.45 per cent Effective Implementation score following the 2026 International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Coordinated Validation Mission. The score was confirmed by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority as the highest recorded by the country.
He said the result should serve as a new baseline rather than the final destination for the country’s aviation sector.
Beyond Nigeria, Keyamo identified intra-African connectivity as a major challenge facing the continent’s aviation industry.
He said it should not be easier for passengers to travel from an African city to a destination outside the continent than to travel between two African countries.
“Africa needs stronger intra-African connectivity, commercially viable airports, appropriate regulatory frameworks, and closer cooperation among governments, airlines, airport operators and other stakeholders,” he said.
The minister called for reduced protectionist policies among African countries, saying greater cooperation was necessary to unlock the benefits of regional integration.
He cited the European single-sky model as an example of regional cooperation, urging African countries to draw lessons from such arrangements.
Keyamo said the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) provided important frameworks for improving air connectivity and economic integration.
He added that AfCFTA could not achieve its full potential without efficient transport links across the continent.
The minister also cited the establishment of direct air links between Abuja and Yaoundé as an example of improving regional connectivity, noting that passengers previously had to connect through other countries to complete the journey.
He disclosed that several applications for new routes were before the ministry, adding that rising demand for air transport was gradually driving greater connectivity across Africa.
Keyamo urged African countries to invest in infrastructure, strengthen regulatory frameworks and build institutional capacity to convert the continent’s aviation potential into sustainable economic value.
He also called for airports to evolve beyond aircraft operating facilities into economic ecosystems supporting tourism, logistics, trade, investment and employment.
Meanwhile, FAAN Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Olubunmi Onabanjo-Kuku, said Africa’s aviation sector was experiencing significant growth but still faced structural challenges.
Onabanjo-Kuku, who is also Vice-President of ACI Africa, said the conference theme, “Next-Gen Airports: Driving Performance and Resilience,” represented a strategic call to action for the continent’s aviation industry.
She cited International Air Transport Association data showing that African airlines recorded a 6.4 per cent year-on-year increase in international passenger demand in July 2026, while global international demand declined by 0.1 per cent during the same period.
She said overall passenger demand in Africa grew by 5.2 per cent, compared with a global average of 0.2 per cent.
According to her, Nigeria’s scheduled airline capacity reached 1.19 million seats in September 2026, representing a 37.4 per cent increase from the same period in 2025, according to OAG data.
Onabanjo-Kuku, however, said Africa still accounted for only about one per cent of global air traffic despite having approximately 18 per cent of the world’s population.
She identified funding constraints, infrastructure gaps, high operating costs and fragmented connectivity among the challenges limiting the sector’s growth.
She said FAAN had since 2023 focused on infrastructure modernisation, passenger experience, digital transformation, quality management, human capital development and cargo services.
According to her, the agency had rehabilitated a major runway at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, upgraded terminals and airfield lighting, while also deploying digital systems including automated e-passport gates and enhanced security systems.
She said FAAN also obtained ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications in January 2026 and had trained and certified more than 3,500 personnel through ICAO and ACI programmes.
Looking ahead, Onabanjo-Kuku called for African airports to diversify revenue beyond aeronautical charges and develop commercial ecosystems around logistics, hospitality, retail, technology and airport-city development.
She also advocated investment in intelligent infrastructure, operational resilience, workforce development and stronger partnerships with private investors, airlines, technology companies and development finance institutions.
She said SAATM and AfCFTA provided opportunities for deeper regional integration, adding that Africa’s growing and youthful workforce could help the continent modernise its aviation systems.
She urged governments, airport operators, regulators, financiers and other stakeholders to strengthen collaboration in order to build safer, more efficient and commercially sustainable airports across the continent.
