Talking About Minister Keyamo’s Foreign Trips
Since Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation & Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN) assumed office in 2023, he has made series of official trips to different countries of the world.
While some stakeholders have described some of the trips as mere jamboree trips, others believe that the trips have significantly impacted on the industry’s journey to growth and development.
In September 2023, Minister Keyamo visited Larvik, Norway to inspect some safety and communications equipment meant for Nigeria’s airports.
In October 2023, he made a working visit to Houston, Texas, USA on his quest to solicit for investors for Nigeria’s aviation industry. There, he discussed resumption of direct flights from United States of America to Nigeria.
In November 20 to 24, 2023, he attended the 3rd ICAO Conference on Aviation & Alternative Fuels in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
On December 5, 2023, he represented President Bola Tinubu at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 28UAE) in Dubai. At the Hilton Ryadh in Saudi Arabia, on the sidelines of the event, he signed Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) with the State of Kuwait.
In January 2024, Keyamo made a working visit to Thales, a French based global air surveillance radar provider. In that January, he visited Magnus Aircraft Company in Hungary, following an invitation to attend its products introduction event.
January 26, 2024, Minister Keyamo visited London, United Kingdom to hold discussions, primarily revolving around the strategic partnership between Norse Atlantic Airways and Nigeria’s Air Peace and the possible permit of Air Peace to operate flights into Gatwick Airport.
In March 2024, he led a high-powered Nigerian delegation on a four-day bilateral working visit to France tagged ‘The Nigeria-France Bilateral Business Forum.
That same month, he made a Bilateral working visit to Airbus headquarters, Toulouse Blagnac, France. There, Keyamo and some Nigeria’s stakeholders made a tour of Airbus showroom, interacted with the aircraft manufacturer on leasing opportunities and partnership with French Aviation School. The French Ambassador to Nigeria, H. E. Emmanuelle BLATMANN had in October 2023, invited Keyamo to visit France and tour its aerospace hub.
On April 30, 2024, he attended ICAO Conference in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
May 2024, Keyamo attended Future Aviation Forum held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where he proposed patronage of local catering services on Qatar Airways’ return trips to Doha from Nigeria.
In July 2024, he attended IATA Conference in South Africa. In the same month, Minister Keyamo and his Defence counterpart, Mohammed Badam Abubakar led a Nigerian delegation on a three-day visit to Indra in Spain on a mission titled “Air Surveillance for the Sovereignty, Security and Safety of the Nigerian Airspace Through Dual Use Technology (Civil & Military).
In August 2024, Keyamo led a delegation to Helsinki, Finland and Vienna, Austria for factory inspections and familiarization meetings with aviation infrastructure equipment manufacturers, Vaisala and Frequentis AG for the supply of infrastructure equipment for the construction of the Abuja second runway.
In August 2024, Keyamo went to Chareston, South Carolina with some Chief Executive Officers of Nigeria’s airlines. This visit was on an invitation by Boeing, according to Keyamo’s Special Assistant, Obafemi Bajomo. On August 28, 2024, Minister Keyamo signed an MOU with Boeing in Seattle, Washington, USA. He signed it with Anbessie Yitbarek, Boeing’s Vice President, Commercial Sales & Marketing, Africa.
In September 2024, Keyamo attended International Route Development Conference themed Network Cargo 2024 in Moscow, Russia. In the same month, he led a delegation to United Arab Emirates (UAE) to finalize negotiations ahead of anticipated resumption of Emirates’ Airlines’ flight operations to Nigeria.
In October 2024, he attended the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Congress in Marrakesh, Morocco. Same month, he attended the Aeronautical Meteorology Scientific Conference (AeroMet Sci-2024) organized by the Commission for Weather, Climate, Hydrological, Marine and Related Environmental Services and Applications, held at World Meteorological Organization headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland, October 21 to 25, 2024.
In November 2024, he attended 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, November 11-22, 2024. In the same month, he was in Congo Brazzaville for African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) 35th Ordinary Plenary Session.
While rounding off his holiday in United States of America in January 2025, Keyamo visited HOG Technologies, a company that produces runway de-rubberization equipment at Stuart, Florida.
In the same January, he attended Aviation Economic Conference in Dublin, Republic of Ireland and he held a meeting there with Afrexim Bank team, facilitated by Boeing’s Senior Director of Finance, Lereece Rose.
In February 2025, Minister Keyamo was in Abu Dhabi, UAE for ICAO Global Implementation Support Symposium (GISS) 2025, where he signed the amended BASA between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The signing of the amended BASA built on the 2024 negotiations, ensuring reciprocal rights for both countries and fostering deeper aviation collaboration. Beyond the BASA agreement, he advocated for a review of UAE’s visa restrictions on Nigerians.
On February 14, 2025, Keyamo travelled with President Bola Tinubu to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to participate in the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of African Union Heads of State & Government.
For now, we see two consequences of Minister Keyamo’s numerous international trips. Air Peace commenced direct flights between Lagos and London in March 2024, crashing fares for travellers on that route and curbing the exploitation of travellers by the hitherto dominating foreign carriers on that route. The Minister’s obvious support for this course, working with President Bola Tinubu helped to actualize the Air Peace’ Lagos-London flights.
Also in October 2024, Emirates recommenced direct flights between Dubai and Lagos, Nigeria, two years after suspending operations on that route. Just this week, Air Peace signed an interline partnership agreement with Emirates.AM
