Nigeria’s Aviation Minister Advocates Open Skies At African Air Transport Expo, Lomé
In the heels of the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) proposed $7 billion funding for Aviation Transformation Programme, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN) has called for decisive actions to unlock Africa’s aviation potential, insisting that the continent must move beyond policy declarations to tangible implementation of reforms that directly benefit airlines and passengers.
Speaking at the just concluded African Air Transport Expo 2026, organized by the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) in Lomé, Togo, the Minister participated in two high-level panel sessions focusing on the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) and Air Transport Affordability.
Addressing the session on market access and the implementation of SAATM, Keyamo emphasized that the era of merely signing agreements must give way to practical measures that guarantee unrestricted air connectivity across the continent.
“We must move from signatures to actual traffic rights. Over the next 24 months, Nigeria will streamline permits for African carriers, align air agreements, and lead the Banjul Accord Group (BAG) to progressively treat West Africa as a unified domestic market,” he declared.
The Minister noted that enhanced market access remains critical to achieving the African Union’s vision of a connected continent, stressing that seamless air transport would boost trade, tourism, investment and regional integration.
On the issue of air transport affordability, Keyamo reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to reducing the cost burden on airlines and passengers, describing aviation as a strategic economic enabler rather than a source of excessive government revenue.
“Aviation is an economic enabler, not a revenue collection point. Nigeria is aggressively driving down costs through a 30% discount on statutory fees for domestic operators approved by Mr. President, transitioning toward VAT neutrality, and auditing duplicate levies,” he stated.
The Minister further challenged African governments and industry stakeholders to focus on measurable outcomes rather than declarations and communiqués.
“The real test of our success is no longer how many declarations we adopt, but how many African routes we open, how many restrictions we remove, and how many passengers actually benefit,” Keyamo said.
His intervention was widely applauded by participants, who viewed Nigeria’s commitments as a significant step towards accelerating the implementation of SAATM and creating a more competitive, accessible and affordable air transport ecosystem across Africa.
The African Air Transport Expo brought together ministers, regulators, airline executives, airport operators, development finance institutions and aviation stakeholders from across the continent to deliberate on strategies for transforming Africa’s aviation sector into a catalyst for economic growth and regional integration.
