The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has announced that he is committed to making the Fly Nigeria Act a reality during his time in office. This legislation has been in the works for over 15 years but has not yet been passed into law. The Fly Nigeria Act is designed to require that any air travel funded by the government for government workers, contractors, and other officials must be done using Nigerian airlines.
Keyamo expressed his frustration that this important legislation has been delayed for so long, pointing out that it was first proposed when his predecessor, Chief Omotoba, was in office more than 15 years ago. He emphasized that he intends to work with all the key players in the aviation industry to ensure that the bill is finally signed into law.
During a recent event in Abuja, Keyamo spoke to various stakeholders about the importance of the Fly Nigeria Act and other related legislation. He mentioned that there have been many proposals over the years aimed at boosting Nigeria’s local aviation industry, but they have not been acted upon. He is determined to revive these proposals, including the Fly Nigeria Act, to help develop the country’s aviation sector.
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Keyamo also highlighted a broader issue regarding the African aviation market. He believes that foreign airlines have been dominating this market without fair competition from African carriers, including Nigerian airlines. He noted that many foreign airlines come to Nigeria filled with passengers but leave with empty seats, which he sees as an unfair situation for local airlines.
To move forward, Keyamo stated that they will set up a technical committee to work on the details of the Fly Nigeria Act. He mentioned that members of the National Assembly, which includes both the House of Representatives and the Senate, are ready to receive the bill and are supportive of its goals. Keyamo believes that passing this legislation will be beneficial for Nigeria’s aviation industry and local airline operators.
