Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has called for urgent and coordinated action to improve air connectivity across Africa, describing aviation as a critical driver of economic growth, trade, industrialisation and continental integration.
The minister made the call in a keynote address delivered on his behalf by the Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Olubunmi Kuku, during the Annual Lecture Series of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport held in Abuja on Wednesday.
Speaking on the theme, “Improving Connectivity within the African Continent,” Keyamo said Africa’s enormous economic potential could only be unlocked through efficient, affordable and sustainable connectivity among its people, industries and markets.
According to him, aviation has evolved beyond being a luxury service into a vital economic infrastructure, particularly for a vast continent like Africa where geographical barriers often hinder road and rail integration.
He noted that improved air connectivity would strengthen trade, healthcare delivery, tourism, manufacturing value chains and regional cooperation, while also promoting people-to-people relationships across the continent.
“No continent can truly integrate economically while remaining disconnected physically,” the minister stated, pointing to the significance of the Yamoussoukro Decision and the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), both designed to liberalise Africa’s airspace and encourage competition among African carriers.
Although implementation of the initiatives has progressed slowly, Keyamo stressed that the vision behind them remains “urgent, relevant and transformational.”
He explained that increased liberalisation of Africa’s aviation market would result in higher flight frequencies, reduced airfares, stronger tourism flows, increased trade volumes, job creation and measurable growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The minister further argued that improved connectivity attracts investment, stimulates economic activity and reduces poverty through job creation.
Addressing stakeholders at the event, Keyamo urged policymakers, regulators, financiers and operators to move beyond policy declarations and focus on practical implementation capable of transforming Africa’s aviation landscape.
He identified three major pillars necessary for achieving this transformation: legal clarity, commercial enablement and institutional trust.
On legal reforms, the minister said Nigeria had undertaken deliberate measures to strengthen investor confidence in the aviation sector, including reforms aimed at improving compliance with the Cape Town Convention and Aircraft Protocol through Federal High Court Practice Directions.
He explained that stronger legal certainty would reduce financing risks, attract aircraft lessors, lower borrowing costs, support fleet modernisation and improve aviation safety and service delivery.
However, he emphasised that Africa must collectively pursue harmonised legal standards and judicial efficiency if the continent intends to build a competitive aviation market capable of attracting global investment.
Keyamo also underscored the importance of commercial partnerships and sustainable airline operations, noting that African carriers require access to modern fleets, affordable financing, maintenance infrastructure and global supply chains.
He referenced Nigeria’s recent Memorandum of Understanding with Boeing as a strategic partnership aimed not only at aircraft acquisition, but also at enhancing technical expertise, local capacity development, aviation training and Nigeria’s integration into the global aerospace ecosystem.
“These are the kinds of partnerships Africa must replicate – partnerships that transfer knowledge, create jobs, and develop local capabilities while supporting continental growth,” he said.
The minister also warned that aviation liberalisation must not undermine safety, fairness or national development goals.
According to him, Africa must deliberately strengthen indigenous capabilities in Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO), pilot training, aircraft engineering, airport services, aerospace manufacturing support and aviation technology to ensure that economic value generated within the sector remains within African economies.
To accelerate Africa’s connectivity agenda, Keyamo proposed five practical priorities, including the accelerated implementation of SAATM and the Yamoussoukro Decision through phased liberalisation, harmonisation of legal and judicial practices across the continent, and the creation of innovative financing and leasing mechanisms.
Other recommendations included embedding sustainability into aviation liberalisation through fuel-efficient fleets and greener airport infrastructure, as well as increased investment in technical education, training institutions, regulatory agencies and skills transfer initiatives.
The minister acknowledged that reforms often encounter resistance due to concerns over competition, market dominance and national interests, but insisted that the cost of inaction would be far greater for the continent.
“Can Africa afford to remain one of the least connected regions in the world? Can we continue depending disproportionately on external hubs for intra-African movement? Can we continue losing billions in economic opportunities because our markets remain fragmented?” he queried.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s position, Keyamo said the country supports liberalisation that is safe, commercially viable, economically inclusive and socially responsible.
He reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to modernising legal frameworks, strengthening regulatory oversight, improving airport infrastructure, supporting local airlines and attracting responsible investments into the aviation industry.
The minister also called on the private sector, development partners, African regulators and legal practitioners to collaborate in building a stronger and more integrated African aviation market.
He concluded by describing improved African connectivity as an “imperative” rather than an option, stressing that the frameworks and opportunities already exist, while what remains is the political will and collective commitment to act decisively.
Keyamo urged African nations to transform the vision of an open African sky into reality through increased routes, affordable air travel, modern fleets, efficient airports and expanded economic opportunities for millions across the continent.
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