Yemi Olakitan
Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has vowed to make the long-delayed Fly Nigeria Act a reality during his tenure. The proposed legislation requires all government-funded air travel to be carried out exclusively by Nigerian flag carriers.
Speaking at a one-day “Stakeholders’ Engagement on the Legal Framework for the Fly Nigeria Bill and Related Enabling Legislation” in Abuja, Keyamo expressed frustration over the bill’s stagnation, despite being proposed more than 15 years ago. He assured stakeholders that his administration would rally the necessary support to enact the bill.
“This has been on the cards for some time, for many years—more than 15 years,” Keyamo said. “My predecessor, Chief Omotoba, served more than 15 years ago. You can imagine that this bill was taken to council then, and yet it did not see the light of day. Under my tenure, it will happen.”
Keyamo expressed frustration over the bill’s stagnation, despite being proposed over 15 years ago. The minister also revealed plans to revive stalled aviation reforms to boost the local aviation industry.
The Fly Nigeria Act has received backing from key players in the aviation industry, including the Vice President of the Airline Operators of Nigeria and Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema who described the initiative as a transformative step for Nigeria’s aviation and domestic airlines.
Keyamo emphasized that the Fly Nigeria Act is not just a policy but a necessity to strengthen the nation’s aviation sector and promote the growth of Nigerian airlines in a competitive global market. He also decried what he described as a global conspiracy to suppress African airlines and keep the continent dependent on foreign carriers.
To move the bill forward, Keyamo announced plans to convene a technical session to refine the draft resolution and collaborate with the National Assembly.
The minister expressed optimism that the Fly Nigeria Act would become a reality during his tenure, stating that “it’s for us to set up a technical committee. We’ve agreed in principle that this is good for us and good for aviation, especially for local operators”.
