Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, transformative efforts have continued to yield notable results contributing immensely to Africa’s journey toward unlocking its vast aviation potential.
Under Keyamo’s leadership, Nigeria has emerged as a driving force in the movement to enhance intra-African air connectivity, a mission now validated and amplified by the recently released Embraer report, “Connecting Africa: Unlocking Africa’s Intra-Regional Connectivity Potential”.
The June 2025 report by global aerospace manufacturer of Embraer offers a compelling, data-driven case for overhauling Africa’s fragmented aviation landscape. It not only highlights the vast economic promise of better air links within the continent but also cites the policies and strategic direction championed by Keyamo as central to achieving this transformation.
As Chairman of the Banjul Accord Group (BAG), a regional aviation oversight body under the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Keyamo has spearheaded reforms aimed at liberalising African airspace, expanding bilateral air service agreements (BASAs), and modernising aviation infrastructure. His advocacy for regional hub development and fleet renewal is already yielding measurable progress in Nigeria and influencing policy thinking across West Africa.
One of the report’s key insights is the mismatch between Africa’s population and its aviation footprint: despite accounting for 18 per cent of the global population, Africa contributes only 2.1 per cent of global air traffic. Embraer identifies 45 currently unserved intra-African routes that could be viably operated using 100-seat aircraft like the E-Jet E2—routes that align precisely with Keyamo’s push for right-sized aircraft to serve medium-density markets cost-effectively.
The report quotes the Honourable Minister as saying: “The potential of intra-African connectivity is vast, and it is within our collective power to unlock new markets, build new regional hubs, and create a more integrated continent.
“By working together, we can foster economic growth, promote trade, and improve the lives of millions of Africans through better connectivity.”
This philosophy is already taking shape in policy. Nigeria, under Keyamo’s stewardship, has pursued aggressive Bi-lateral Aviation Services Agreement (BASA) negotiations, signed high-level MoUs with key regional and international players, and pushed for domestic airline capacity growth to tap into underserved markets.
His tenure has also witnessed closer collaboration with OEMs and aviation stakeholders, as Nigeria positions itself as a key node in Africa’s future aviation network.
According to Embraer’s Senior Vice President for Middle East and Africa,Stephan Hannemann, “by deploying the right aircraft and enhancing intra-regional air travel, Africa can unlock new economic opportunities and improve the overall travel experience for millions”.
CEO of AviaDev, Jon Howell, added: “Embraer’s new report illustrates the vast opportunities already on offer to deliver better intra-African connectivity and ensure a robust and resilient future”.
Through the Honourable Minister’s initiatives, Nigeria is no longer just participating in Africa’s aviation renaissance, it is helping to architect it. From safety oversight improvements through BAG to strategic investments in infrastructure, Keyamo’s approach is fast becoming a blueprint for regional integration.
His widely quoted mantra: “To connect Africa is to empower Africa” is no longer a slogan; it is an unfolding reality, grounded in data, policy, and cross-border collaboration.