Festus Keyamo and Nigeria’s Aviation Renaissance: The Tinubu Factor

MaTaZ ArIsInG
Dallas, Texas

By Dr. Michael Tidi

There are sectors of national life in which the quality of governance is best measured not by the eloquence of official statements but by the changes citizens can see, experience and evaluate. Aviation is one such sector. It is an industry where policy meets infrastructure, where regulation determines investor confidence, and where the efficiency of public institutions is tested daily by passengers, airlines and international partners. It is against this demanding background that the stewardship of Festus Keyamo, SAN, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, deserves closer examination.

As a Deltan, I acknowledge the natural affinity that comes with sharing a common state of origin with the Minister. But familiarity must not substitute for scrutiny. My assessment is informed as much by professional interest as by personal experience. I am a frequent traveller who has used Nigerian airports and travelled through international gateways in Europe, North America, the Middle East and elsewhere. I therefore approach this subject not merely as a compatriot applauding one of his own, but as a passenger who understands the difference between an airport that functions and one that merely exists.

One of the most consequential reforms under Keyamo’s watch has been the effort to restore confidence in Nigeria’s aircraft financing environment. Through the implementation of the Irrevocable De-registration and Export Request Authorisation (IDERA) framework and accompanying judicial practice directions, Nigeria strengthened the protection available to aircraft lessors and financiers. The country’s Cape Town Convention compliance score rose to 75.5 per cent, leading to its removal from the Aviation Working Group’s watchlist. This is not an obscure legal achievement. It has practical implications for Nigerian airlines seeking aircraft, financing and the capacity to compete in an industry where capital is both expensive and indispensable.

The country’s aviation safety oversight has also recorded progress. Nigeria achieved an International Civil Aviation Organisation Effective Implementation score of 91.45 per cent in the April 2026 assessment, its highest reported result. This does not mean every safety challenge has disappeared, but it provides evidence of stronger regulatory capacity and a more credible institutional framework. In aviation, credibility is currency; without it, the doors to international confidence remain difficult to open.

Infrastructure offers another important measure of progress. At the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, I have personally observed improvements, particularly around the domestic wing, Terminal B. These changes are welcome, especially against the backdrop of the Federal Executive Council’s approval of ₦2.442 billion for the rehabilitation and upgrading of the terminal, including attention to ageing cooling systems, baggage carousels and other operational deficiencies.

Kano deserves particular mention. The remodelling of the Muhammadu Adamu Dankabo Domestic Terminal at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport and its recommissioning in July 2026 represent an important improvement to a strategic northern gateway. The upgraded terminal offers better passenger facilities, including improvements to baggage handling, check-in areas, air-conditioning and lounges. The Federal Government’s approval of ₦46 billion for runway rehabilitation further underscores the importance attached to the airport’s long-term operational capacity. For a city whose commercial history and regional influence remain significant, modern aviation infrastructure is not a luxury; it is an economic necessity.

Lagos, Nigeria’s busiest international gateway, is also undergoing significant modernisation. Rehabilitation works at Terminal One and the development of a connecting bridge are intended to improve movement between airport facilities and enhance the passenger experience. These are ongoing undertakings, and their ultimate value will be determined by timely completion and the quality of service they deliver.

Credit must also be given to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, under the leadership of its Managing Director, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, and her management team. Airport modernisation is not the work of one office. It requires policy direction, technical competence, institutional discipline and sustained execution. The efforts to improve passenger comfort, accessibility and operational efficiency deserve recognition, even as the travelling public rightly expects more.

The expansion of Nigeria’s international air connectivity offers another indication of a sector seeking a wider horizon. Air Peace’s services to London, including its Abuja operations to Heathrow and Gatwick, have strengthened Nigeria’s presence on an important international route. The significance goes beyond the airline itself. A Nigerian carrier with access to major international gateways offers passengers greater choice and creates room for competition. The expanded air transport arrangements with Canada also point towards future opportunities for direct connectivity, although proposed services remain subject to regulatory and commercial arrangements. Keyamo’s engagement with Russian authorities to review the longstanding bilateral air services framework similarly reflects an effort to widen Nigeria’s aviation relationships.

There are developments in public administration that should not be overlooked. The introduction of biometric immigration e-gates at major international airports has made passport processing more efficient. Having returned to Nigeria through these facilities, I have experienced the improvement firsthand, particularly at Abuja. This initiative belongs principally to the Ministry of Interior and the Nigeria Immigration Service, and it would be inaccurate to attribute it to the Aviation Minister. It is, however, a useful example of how coordinated action across government can improve the passenger journey and strengthen the country’s international gateways.

Perhaps one of the most significant developments is the negotiated settlement of the nearly two-decade dispute between the Federal Government and Bi-Courtney over the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two and associated facilities. The agreement signed in October 2026, following Federal Executive Council approval, offers an opportunity to replace prolonged contention with clearer obligations, renewed investment prospects and a more productive relationship. Keyamo’s role in the negotiations deserves acknowledgement, as does President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s backing of the process. The real test, however, will be implementation.

It is important to locate these developments within the larger question of leadership. Ministers may provide the energy, expertise and administrative drive required to move a sector forward, but they operate within a policy environment shaped by the President. Tinubu appointed Keyamo, entrusted him with the aviation portfolio and provided the  political authority within which these reforms have been pursued. The President therefore deserves broader credit for creating the conditions in which the Minister and relevant agencies can work. That is not to diminish Keyamo’s contribution; it is to recognise that effective governance requires both direction at the top and competent execution below.

No serious observer should suggest that Nigerian aviation has arrived at its destination. Airport infrastructure remains uneven, domestic ticket prices continue to challenge ordinary travellers, and the industry requires sustained investment, stronger connectivity and consistent regulatory discipline. But acknowledging unfinished work should not blind us to measurable progress. Public assessment must be fair enough to recognise what has improved and rigorous enough to demand that promises become results.

As the 2027 elections approach, Nigerians will once again be invited to judge the direction of the country and the leadership that should guide its next chapter. The aviation sector provides one useful basis for that assessment. Where reforms have improved confidence, where longstanding disputes have yielded to negotiation, and where the foundations for greater connectivity are being laid, continuity deserves serious consideration. President Tinubu’s aviation record, reflected in the work of his Minister and the agencies responsible for the sector, is part of that national conversation.

For Festus Keyamo, the challenge is to sustain the momentum and ensure that reform becomes an enduring institutional culture rather than a collection of isolated achievements. For the President, the task is to maintain the policy consistency and political will that allow such progress to mature. Nigeria’s aviation renaissance is still a work in progress, but the direction of travel is becoming clearer.

…Dr. Tidi, an economist, lawyer and public affairs analyst, can be reached on mikkytidi@gmail.com.

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