Tinubu’s Initiatives that Redefined Aviation Sector

President Tinubu’s administration prioritised capacity building for domestic airlines, infrastructure development and new trajectory in bilateral relationship with global aviation community. The initiatives have redefined air transportation in Nigeria, writes Chinedu Eze As the first tenure of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu winds down, it is germane to identify key areas the administration made impact in the aviation industry and how it contributed to the growth of the sector. In a recent interactive section with the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, he brought to the fore key achievements, which he made possible, implementing the policies of the Tinubu’s government in the aviation sector. The minister said the federal government committed N712.3 billion to the comprehensive reconstruction and modernisation of Terminal 1 at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA). This, according to him, is Nigeria’s major gateway, accounting for more than 60 per cent of those who fly into Nigeria, adding that work has commenced in earnest and the project is currently more than 50 per cent completed. The project is being financed through the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund via subsidy reform savings, avoiding new external loans. The scope also includes a new overhead bridge and skywalk taking passengers to the departure hall of Terminals 1 and 2, redesigned passenger routing and modern baggage handling systems. According to the minister, in Kano, the federal government committed N46 billion for the complete resurfacing of the runway at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, with work progressing steadily. The federal government also fully remodelled the domestic terminal which is called the Muhammadu Adamu Dankabo Domestic Terminal. A brand-new Hajj terminal was also built and commissioned in July 2026. In collaboration with the Borno State Government, the Muhammadu Buhari Airport in Maiduguri, which was previously a domestic airport, was upgraded to full international status. This included the building of a new international terminal, upgrade of the runway, provision of facilities for other agencies of government like the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Quarantine Services and other relevant government agencies. The minister further said that the federal government approved the development of a new airport in Abia State and provided budgetary allocation for the project in the 2024 budget. The federal government, in collaboration with the Imo State Government, is resurfacing and extending the runway at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, in preparation for full international operations. “Upon assumption of office, the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and its agencies provided regulatory and institutional support to upgrade the new terminal in Uyo to full international status. The ministry also coordinated and ensured the provision of facilities for other agencies of government like the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Quarantine Services and other relevant government agencies for the commencement of the international operations. “Also, the terminal building at the Benin Airport has been totally rehabilitated and expanded. Runway lighting has also been provided, enabling night-flight operations. The VIP section of the terminal building at the Osubi Airport has been rebuilt for the comfort of passengers. Runway lighting has also been provided, enabling night-flight operations. “A new terminal building at the Akure Airport has been built, providing comfort for passengers. Approval has also been given for the resurfacing and expansion of the runway. A temporary terminal has been opened to provide VVIP services for high-ranking diplomats, businessmen and persons in line with international best practices has been opened in Lagos, with plans to further upgrade and move its operations to the new international terminal when completed,” Keyamo said. He further said through the interministerial cooperation and collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the Ministry of Interior, e-gates were established both in Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja for seamless processing of passengers with Nigerian passports at both airports. “In a bid to attract private participation in the development of our airports, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the concessions of both the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu and the Obafemi Jeremiah Awolowo International Airport in Port Harcourt. The concessions are under public private partnership arrangements which allow the concessionaires to further develop and run the airports for a number of years whilst they will continue to share revenue with the federal government. “This was a significant achievement given the fact that various governments in the past repeatedly tried to concession the airports but failed to do so,” Keyamo further said. Safety Oversight and Compliance The minister noted that in all safety compliance assessments conducted by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on Nigeria prior to 2026, the country’s performance had generally remained around 70 per cent. This was not an encouraging score considering that it was a matter of safety. “However, in April 2026, after ICAO’s Coordinated Validation Mission, Nigeria recorded its highest ever score of 91.45 per cent in Safety Compliance Audit, which is above both the global average of 70.4 per cent and the West African average of 61.1 per cent. “Also, Nigeria achieved full aerodrome certification of its five (5) international airports for the first time in its history (Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu). The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria also attained dual international certifications: ISO 9001:2015 for Quality Management Systems and ISO 14001:2015 for Environmental Management Systems, issued by MSECB Canada. The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) also achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification. NAMA also deployed the Advanced Airspace Management Systems and Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast. These investments in Communication, Navigation and Surveillance infrastructure were essential to the aerodrome certification process and the safety score improvement,” the minister said. These safety improvements have further boosted the country’s standing in the aviation world and given confidence to more international airlines to continue to fly to Nigeria, according to the minister. Restoring Confidence in Nigeria At the 2023 baseline, foreign airlines had over $800 million of their funds trapped in Nigerian banks. The backlog arose during a period of severe foreign-exchange liquidity constraints in the Nigerian economy. At its peak in June 2023, Nigeria’s blocked funds amounted to Eight Hundred and Fifty $850 million. Some foreign airlines stopped flying to Nigeria and many others threatened to suspend operations. The Central Bank of Nigeria, in coordination with the Ministry of Aviation, undertook a phased clearance of these obligations. The clearance process was substantially completed by mid 2024. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) subsequently confirmed the substantial clearance of the backlog andcommended the President Tinubu’s administration for resolving the issue. As at November, 2026, Nigeria is the leading country in repatriation of airlines’ funds in Africa. The clearance of the backlog removed the single most immediate obstacle to foreign carrier operations in Nigeria and reinforced the confidence of international airlines in Nigeria once again. Nigeria was subsequently removed from IATA’s list of countries with blocked aviation funds, the minister explained. Emirates suspended operations in Nigeria in 2022 amid a diplomatic standoff with the Nigerian government over bilateral air services disagreements. At the time of suspension, Emirates also had $85 million in revenue trapped in Nigeria. Upon assumption of office, the Tinubu administration undertook a series of high-level diplomatic engagements in the United Arab Emirates to resolve the issues. Consequently, on October 1, 2024, Emirates resumed its international operations in Nigeria when its first flight, EK 783, touched down at Murtala Muhammed International Airport. The minister led a high-level Nigerian delegation to the UAE to finalise negotiations ahead of the resumption, and a new Bilateral Air Service Agreement was settled between both nations. The resumption restored not only passenger connectivity but also cargo capacity for Nigerian exports. “The resumption further demonstrated renewed confidence in Nigeria’s aviation market and bilateral engagement framework,” Keyamo further said The minister also said: “The Aviation Working Group (AWG), co-chaired by Boeing and Airbus, maintains a Compliance Index for the Cape Town Convention that directly determines whether aircraft lessors will expose their assets in certain countries. Before the reforms, Nigeria’s compliance score stood at 49.5% and the country was on the AWG’s non-compliance watchlist and was blacklisted by almost all lessors around the world. This hampered the ability of our local carriers to access good aircraft on competitive terms from lessors. “The critical intervention was the signing of a Practice Direction by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court in 2024, which established mandatory judicial procedures for aviation-related matters and strengthened the enforceability of lease agreementsunder the Cape Town Convention. Following the operationalisation of the Irrevocable De-registration and Export Request Authorisation (IDERA), Nigeria’s compliance score rose first to 70.5 per cent in September 2024 and then to 75.5 per cent, officially removing Nigeria from the AWG watchlist and from the lessors’ blacklist. “The practical consequence was immediate: Air Peace took delivery of a Boeing 737-700 NG on dry lease from AerCap, one of the world’s leading aircraft lessors, marking Nigeria’s return to major international dry leasing agreements. The legal execution of IDERA yielded immediate commercial dividends and reinforced the confidence of international lessors in Nigeria once again.” Indigenous Airlines Growth The Tinubu administration inherited a controversial arrangement with Ethiopian Airlines that was structured as a national carrier partnership but, in practice, would have positioned Ethiopian Airlines to dominate Nigerian aviation and potentially lead to the total collapse of local airlines in the country. The deal faced multiple lawsuits in court. Upon assumption of office, the Tinubu government promptly suspended the deal rather than pursuing a national carrier model that would have completely killed the businesses of our local operators. The minister subsequently confirmed that the government no longer intends to launch a new national carrier in that form. The Federal High Court also subsequently gave judgment, nullifying the agreement with Ethiopian Airlines, supporting the federal government’s position. Since then, the federal government has concentrated on supporting the growth and stability of existing indigenous carriers. Immediately after the suspension of the Ethiopian deal, the government provided full support for Air Peace’s entry into the Lagos–London route. The inaugural flight departed on March 30, 2024, operating via Gatwick Airport. The service later expanded to include Abuja–London operations, with routes to both Heathrow and Gatwick, all with the full support of the government. The government’s diplomatic engagement was instrumental in securing Heathrow access after UK slot denials; the Minister wrote to the UK Secretary of State for Transport describing the denial as “highly disheartening,” and following diplomatic engagement at the International Civil Aviation Negotiations forum, the UK government agreed to open discussions, culminating in Heathrow slot approval. FEC in April 2026, approved the establishment of the Nigeria Aircraft Leasing Company for the sole purpose of assisting our local carriers to acquire aircraft through a local Special Purpose Vehicle with sovereign backing on more competitive terms. The company is fully privately funded, with no obligation for direct federal investment. The role of the government is to provide limited sovereign guarantees (in respect of repossession and safety of aircraft only) to international lessors and manufacturers, whilst holding equity through the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI). Also, in April 2026, airline operators in Nigeria had threatened to shut down operations nationwide over a surge in Jet A1 prices due to the global energy crisis at the time. Following an emergency meeting convened by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved 30 per cent discount on outstanding debts owed by domestic airlines to aviation agencies, including FAAN, NAMA and the NCAA. The approval was intended to cushion the effect of the fuel price surge and stabilise airline operations. MMA2 Legal Dispute Resolution The dispute between the federal government and Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) over Murtala Muhammed Airport Domestic Terminal 2 had persisted for nearly two decades and litigations had continued in various courts. As a result, the federal government did not earn any revenue from that terminal in nearly twenty years under the PPP arrangement. To resolve the long-standing dispute, the Federal Executive Council, on April 30, 2026 officially approved the framework for the settlement of the outstanding issues. The negotiated settlement was finally signed in October 2026, with both sides making significant concessions to facilitate implementation of the settlement. African Aviation and Aerospace University The African Aviation and Aerospace University, Abuja, was approved under the previous administration but had not commenced full operations due to outstanding implementation and logistical requirements. Under the Administration President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the institution became operational. The minister secured support from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund for infrastructure and training, positioning the university as a centre for specialised education in aviation management, engineering, and regulatory studies. First Ever Air Show Through a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) arrangement, Nigeria hosted its inaugural Nigeria International Airshow in December 2025. The event was designed to boost confidence in the international aviation community by providing a visible demonstration of Nigeria’s regulatory and infrastructure improvements. The minister was honoured as ‘Nigeria Aviation Icon of the Year’ at the airshow. Other achievements of the administration include the payment of pensions and severance liabilities of the staff of the defunct Nigeria Airways Limited. More than two decades after the liquidation of Nigeria Airways, the government approved approximately N36 billion in pensions and other severance benefits to more than 3,300 former workers. An initial N18 billion of the approved sum had since been released and paid and the second tranche is almost due for payment. The administration also showed unprecedented support for local sky caterers. The minister made it possible that effective January 2025, the international carriers operating in Nigeria source onboard meals for their out-bound flights from domestic caterers. International Appointments On April 29, 2026, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) named Festus Keyamo, SAN (Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development) as one of Africa’s top four aviators at a special session of the IATA Focus Africa Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The announcement was made by Kamil Alawadhi, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, who cited Nigeria’s effective implementation of the Cape Town Convention and IDERA framework, as well as the country’s 91.4 per cent score in ICAO safety oversight, as key factors behind the recognition. The honour reflected the visibility of Nigeria’s safety score improvement, Cape Town Convention compliance upgrade, and infrastructure investments across African aviation circles. On May 22, 2025, Festus Keyamo, was appointed Chairman of Banjul Accord Group (BAG) Council of Ministers, a position that placed him at the helm of the regional aviation ecosystem. The Banjul Accord Group is a regional association of West African States (comprising seven West African States) established in 2004 to harmonise civil aviation policies, regulations and safety oversight in line with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards. The African Development Bank (AfDB) appointed Festus Keyamo, SAN as champion of its $7 billion Integrated Aviation Transformation Programme for Africa, with Nigeria as a pilot country. This appointment was a direct consequence of Nigeria’s demonstrated capacity to execute aviation reforms at scale. The AfDB’s decision to entrust a Nigerian minister with continental leadership of a major financing programme was an external validation of the reforms highlighted in this report. Compared to the past administration, the Tinubu government achieved invaluable milestone in the aviation industry in its first tenure that industry pundits argue that what it has achieved in the first tenure of the administration far exceeds what the past administration achieved in eight years.