Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has urged African nations to move beyond policy declarations and take decisive steps to transform the continent’s aviation sector.
Speaking at the Annual Lecture Series organized by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Abuja on May 21, Keyamo described aviation as a continental lifeline rather than a luxury.
“Air transport is no longer reserved for a privileged few,” he said. “In the 21st century, aviation is economic infrastructure. For a continent as vast and diverse as Africa, where geography often limits road and rail integration, aviation becomes the bridge that connects economies, accelerates trade, supports healthcare delivery, drives tourism, and strengthens people-to-people relationships.”
The minister outlined three pillars essential for aviation transformation: legal clarity, commercial enablement, and institutional trust.
On legal reform, Keyamo pointed to Nigeria’s implementation of Federal High Court Practice Directions designed to strengthen compliance with the Cape Town Convention and Aircraft Protocol. “These reforms are not merely legal exercises; they are economic instruments. Improved legal certainty would reduce financing risks, attract aircraft lessors, and lower borrowing costs,” Keyamo said.
He emphasized that continental progress depends on collective legal standards, warning that Africa must work toward harmonized judicial efficiency to create a competitive aviation market capable of attracting global capital at scale.
Regarding commercial partnerships, Keyamo highlighted Nigeria’s recently signed memorandum of understanding with Boeing as a model for the kind of partnerships Africa needs—ones focused on building local capacity, technical expertise, and training rather than mere aircraft transactions.
“These are the kinds of partnerships Africa must replicate—partnerships that transfer knowledge, create jobs, and develop local capabilities while supporting continental growth,” he said.
Keyamo pushed back against models of liberalization that sideline local industries, calling for deliberate investment in maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), pilot training, aircraft engineering, and aviation technology.
“A resilient aviation ecosystem is one where African value remains within African economies,” he said.
“Can Africa afford to remain one of the least connected regions in the world-depending on external hubs for intra-African movement and losing billions in economic opportunities because our markets are fragmented? The answer is clearly no,” Keyamo said. “Improving connectivity within Africa is not optional; it is imperative for trade, industrialization, tourism, and competitiveness. The frameworks exist, partnerships are emerging, and opportunities are enormous. What remains is the collective courage and political will to act decisively and collaboratively.”
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