Keyamo to Nigerians: ‘Stop Comparing Nigeria to Other African Nations

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has called on Nigerians to recognize and appreciate the efforts of private airline operators in the country.

According to TrackNews Media, Keyamo pointed out that many African airlines receive government subsidies, while Nigerian airline operators manage their businesses without any such support. He made these statements during a Ministerial Press briefing organized by the Ministry of Information and National Orientation on Thursday.

Keyamo explained that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is the first to prioritize supporting and developing local airlines, while ensuring they meet international standards.

He stated, “In all of Africa, airlines are either sponsored, supported, or subsidized by their respective governments. Airlines such as RwandAir, South African Airways, EgyptAir, and Moroccan Air are all government-supported. In Nigeria, however, we have robust 100% private participation. This creates a different scenario for us, and our policies and approaches will reflect that difference. We should not compare Nigeria to other African nations; our situation is unique due to our level of private involvement.”

He emphasized the importance of the Nigerian government focusing on local operators who keep the aviation sector thriving. “We currently have 13 active private airlines in Nigeria that operate domestic and regional routes, as well as some international routes. Our deliberate policy aims to support their growth and development,” he added.

Keyamo, a former Minister of Labour and Employment under former President Muhammadu Buhari, reiterated President Tinubu’s and his Ministry’s commitment to developing good policies that would benefit Nigerian airline operators.