KEY POINTS

• To compel government air travel, Nigerian airlines must fly some selected Foreign, Air, and Travel offices of Fly Nigeria Act.
• Increased patronage and fair competition will help the local aviation industry.
• Keyamo said the bill will be revived after 15 years of delays.

Under the proposed Fly Nigeria Act, the Nigerian government has announced plans to close the gap by making it compulsory for all government officials, contractors and grantees to use local airlines for all air travel.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has lauded this move as a way to beef up Nigeria’s aviation sector and backing for indigenous airlines.

Chief Omotoba, former Aviation Minister, once proposed the Act, which has, however, been pending now for over 15 years.

But Keyamo has vowed to ratify it while in office by resuscitating a number of stalled initiatives for years.

Keyamo, speaking at the ”Stakeholders’ Engagement on the Legal Framework for the Fly Nigeria Bill and Related Enabling Legislation” in Abuja, said the proposed bill had been ignored for too long. The National Assembly, he said, would support the bill.

“The time for this has been in the pipeline for over 15 years,” he said. Chief Omotoba proposed it over 15 years ago, my predecessor. “I am sure it will happen while I am in charge,” Keyamo said.

The Act Fly Nigeria prioritizes Nigerian airlines to transport government personnel, grantees, contractors and government financed properties.

It is a major win for Nigeria’s aviation sector because it will boost patronage of local carriers and make domestic airlines more competitive.

Keyamo rallies stakeholders as Nigerian airlines set for boost

The development was unanimously hailed by industry stakeholders as game changer in Nigeria aviation industry. Speaking under the umbrella of the Airline Operators of Nigeria, the association’s spokesperson, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, and the airline’s Vice President, Allen Onyema, said it marks a “new dawn” for Nigeria’s domestic airline operators.

Finally, Keyamo said he would set up a technical committee to further pre draft the resolution of the Fly Nigeria document.

The bill will be taken to the National Assembly where lawmakers have already assured that they will fast track it because there are already senators waiting for the bill, he said.

Keyamo also condemned the global aviation system’s treatment of the African aviation market as a “global conspiracy” to keep African airlines weak and not being addressed, including foreign airline dominance in Africa.

“Air France is going to come back full, and Air France is coming here full.’ Foreign airlines are fat on Africa’s markets as the competition from African airlines is virtually little to none. Referring to Europe, he said: ‘It’s time we were smart enough to see this.’

African airlines have it tough to stand their ground, Keyamo noted, in the face of stiff competition from global carriers that enjoy the necessary advantages which are denied to African airlines.

According to him, the Fly Nigeria Act will help stem the tide of unfair competition from elsewhere that threatens Nigeria’s aviation market, while ensuring the growth of local airlines.

The Fly Nigeria Act is on course to be passed into law, with industry players, local airlines and lawmakers supporting it, and heralds a new era for the Nigerian aviation sector.