Nigeria committed to global protocols, says Keyamo

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the best global air transport and facilitation protocols and standards.

Keyamo stated this at the ongoing 2025 International Civil Aviation Organisation Conference in Doha, Qatar.

The minister, who was joined by other global aviation experts and chiefs, including the Minister of Transport of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla; President of the ICAO Council, Salvatore Sciacchitano; and other dignitaries, recalled different feats achieved by Nigeria, especially under the present administration.

While reaffirming Nigeria’s longstanding dedication to the objectives of ICAO, he stated that since Nigeria joined the ICAO Council in 1962, the country had played an active role, particularly across the African continent.

He further emphasised Nigeria’s ratification of key international air law instruments such as the Montreal Protocol and relevant amendments to the Chicago Convention.

He hailed Qatar and ICAO for convening the gathering that reinforces the members’ collective commitment to advancing global air transport facilitation.

Keyamo said, “Nigeria has been recognised as the leading African nation in compliance with global aviation standards, a feat driven by our robust regulatory framework and the professionalism of our aviation workforce.”

Some of the achievements he referenced include the endorsement of the Cape Town Convention and associated Practice Direction on deregistration and export requests of leased aircraft in September 2024, which led to Nigeria’s Aviation Working Group Compliance Index rising from 49.5 per cent to 70.5 per cent.

He also mentioned that the signing of the Irrevocable De-registration and Export Request Authorisation in December 2024 would further raise Nigeria’s compliance index to 75.5 per cent, earning the country a place in the ‘High’ category and removing it from the AWG watchlist.

This development, according to Keyamo, has boosted aircraft accessibility and strengthened international investor confidence in Nigeria’s aviation sector.

He added, “The global aviation leaders were the deployment of e-Gates at Nigeria’s international airports to facilitate seamless passenger clearance for holders of biometric passports, enhance data collection, and support national security operations.”

The minister also commended Nigeria’s collaboration with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism on capacity-building programmes focused on leveraging AP/PNR data for improved national security and law enforcement.

“As we gather here to chart the future of global air travel, Nigeria stands ready to support and align with innovative technologies and policies that promote seamless, secure, and efficient aviation operations,” Keyamo stated.