The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has described aviation as the connecting tissue that drives commerce, tourism, manufacturing and regional integration across Africa. He made the statement on Tuesday during a high-level virtual dialogue hosted by law firm Aluko and Oyebode.
The webinar, titled “Navigating the African Skies: Legal, Economic and Trade Pathways for the Future of Aviation in Africa,” brought together aviation, legal and economic experts from Nigeria and other African countries. Keyamo said aviation should be treated as core economic infrastructure because of its role in linking markets and supporting continental trade.
The minister renewed calls for the full implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision and the Single African Air Transport Market. He said Africa risks economic isolation if open-skies reforms continue to stall, adding that the benefits of liberalised air transport are measurable and urgent.
Keyamo highlighted Nigeria’s recent legal reforms, including new Federal High Court practice directions aligned with the Cape Town Convention, which he said will improve investor confidence and reduce aircraft financing costs. He urged African governments to harmonise legal frameworks to support leasing, dispute resolution and asset protection.
He also stressed the need for modern aircraft fleets and deeper partnerships with manufacturers and lessors. Keyamo referenced Nigeria’s recent Memorandum of Understanding with Boeing as an example of collaboration that can build technical capacity and strengthen supply chains.
The minister called for stronger safety oversight, fair competition and investment in local aviation capacity through maintenance facilities, training centres and technical workforce development. He outlined a five-point strategy for accelerating Africa’s aviation growth: phased implementation of SAATM, harmonised legal systems, innovative financing models, sustainability-focused fleet upgrades, and investment in people and institutions.
Keyamo warned that Africa will remain economically disadvantaged if the continent fails to modernise its aviation systems. He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to improving aviation infrastructure, expanding international partnerships and lowering logistics costs.
Africa’s aviation sector has long struggled with limited intra-African connectivity, high operating costs and fragmented regulatory systems. The Yamoussoukro Decision of 1999 and the Single African Air Transport Market launched in 2018 were created to open Africa’s skies, reduce barriers to travel and increase economic integration. However, only a few countries have fully implemented the agreements, slowing regional growth and restricting competition. Nigeria has recently positioned aviation as a key growth sector, with reforms aimed at improving safety, access to finance and infrastructure.
