FRI MARCH 14 2025-theGBJournal| Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said Thursday during 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing series, that stated that with recent engagement with Boeing Airline, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed, paving way for the establishment of a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Nigeria.
According to Keyamo, this development is expected to boost the nation’s aviation maintenance capacity, reduce operational costs for airlines, and create employment opportunities for local aviation professionals and the Nigeria youths.
“Also, following some of the agreements with Boeing, Boeing and Cranfield University, a specialist postgraduate university in the UK have started to implement trainings with domestic airlines.
This is to fortify safety culture and operational excellence as agreed in the Seattle MOU”
Keyamo also announced significant achievements in Nigeria’s aviation industry, following strategic collaborations and policy reforms which he says, is enhancing the sector’s global competitiveness.
Keyamo further stated that Nigeria’s attempt to fully comply with the Cape Town Convention on dry-leasing of aircraft by preparing and signing the Practice Direction, the Aviation Working Group (Co-chaired by Boeing and Airbus) adjusted the global score/rating of Nigeria’s compliance status from 49.5% to 70.5% while the signing of the Administrative Rules governing aircraft repossession by creditors and lessors, known as the Irrevocable De-registration and Export Request Authorization (IDERA), within 24 hours, increased Nigeria1s score on (CTC) index from 70.5% to 75.5%.
While expressing government’s vision to expand and improve aviation infrastructure, Keyamo said the Borno Airport has been upgraded to a full-fledged international airport, enhancing connectivity and economic development in the north-eastern region of Nigeria.
Similarly, through a Public-Private Partnership, and with inter-agency cooperation with the Nigerian Immigration Service, the Arrival Hall at Lagos International Airport’s Wing E, has been remodeled resulting in a state-of-the-art facility that elevates passenger experience.
He informed the audience that Ministry is set to push the Fly Nigeria Act to the National Assembly, stating that this legislation, once passed, will prioritize Nigerian airlines for government-sponsored air travel, thereby boosting the local aviation industry and ensuring sustainability for indigenous carriers which is in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
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