Keyamo highlights achievements of Tinubu's administration as ACI Africa opens in Abuja

 

Keyamo highlights achievements of Tinubu's administration as ACI Africa opens in Abuja 

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor 

Minister to Aviation and Aerospace Development, Olorogun Festus Keyamo on Tuesday highlighted the achievements of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration, affirming that several airports' infrastructure programmes are on going across the country to boost air safety.

Keyamo said since Tinubu took over three years ago, Nigeria has nudged higher in its international safety rating , the highest since 1960.

The minister disclosed this at  the Opening Ceremony of the 35th ACI Africa Annual General Assembly, 76th Board and Committee Meetings, Regional Conference and Exhibition in Abuja.

He said Nigeria is deeply honoured to host this important gathering of Africa's airport community, affirming that  Abuja is particularly appropriate for the conversation.

Keyamo said :" This is a city built around the idea of connection — connecting our people, our regions, our institutions and our aspirations. Today, it becomes a meeting point for Africa's airport leaders. And what better place to discuss the future of African airports than here.

" ACI Africa is much more than an association of airports. It is a platform for collaboration, knowledge-sharing, advocacy, professional development and collective action.

Representing 64 members in 51 countries and about 250 airports, ACI Africa gives our continent an important voice within the global airport community. 

"That role is increasingly important because Africa's aviation market is growing. Passenger traffic across the continent continues to expand, driven by population growth, urbanisation, tourism, trade and an emerging middle class.

"But growth alone is not enough.

Our challenge is to turn growth into sustainable airport performance; to make our airports safer, more efficient, more commercially viable, more passenger-friendly and more resilient.

"That is why this year's theme, “Next-Gen Airports: Driving Performance and Resilience,” is so timely.

Keyamo said the  airport of the future cannot simply be a larger terminal building, insisting that the next-generation airport must be safe, efficient, financially sustainable, technologically enabled, environmentally responsible and capable of adapting to disruption.

The experience of the past few years, Keyamo said  has shown how vulnerable aviation can be to pandemics, geopolitical tensions, economic shocks, climate events, cyber threats and infrastructure disruptions. 

He said :" Resilience therefore cannot be an afterthought. It must be designed into our airports, our systems, our business models and our institutions.

We must embrace digital transformation, smarter infrastructure, data-driven decision-making and innovative commercial models. However, technology must never make us forget the human being at the centre of aviation.

"The passenger must remain our ultimate measure of success. A smart airport must also be a welcoming airport. We should also recognize that the airport business is changing rapidly. "Airports are increasingly becoming platforms for commerce, logistics, tourism, technology and investment. The successful airport of tomorrow will be one that understands its passengers, manages its resources intelligently, develops diversified revenue streams and builds strong relationships with airlines, communities and governments.

"For African airports, this is both a challenge and an extraordinary opportunity. Our continent has some of the world's fastest-growing urban centres and some of its most compelling tourism, cultural and business destinations. If we can match that potential with efficient gateways, reliable connectivity and globally competitive service standards, aviation can become an even stronger engine of African development.

"This is why forums such as this matter. They allow us to learn from one another, confront common challenges honestly and return home with solutions that can be implemented.

"For Nigeria, this conference comes at a particularly significant moment. Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda, the Federal Government is pursuing reforms designed to strengthen safety, infrastructure, investment, connectivity and the economic contribution of aviation.

"We are seeing tangible progress.

Following the 2026 ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission, Nigeria recorded an Effective Implementation score of 91.45 percent, our highest-ever result and well above the global average.

"This achievement demonstrates that sustained reform, professional commitment and institutional collaboration can deliver measurable results. Let me be clear, however, that 91.45 percent is not our destination. It is our new baseline. We must continue to raise the bar. We are equally committed to modernising our airports.

"The rehabilitation and expansion of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Terminal 1 in Lagos is a major intervention designed to transform a historic gateway into a more modern, efficient and passenger-centred international airport.

"This is not merely about concrete, steel and glass. An airport is a country's front door. When a visitor arrives, the airport is often the first physical expression of the nation that visitor encounters. We therefore want our airports to communicate efficiency, dignity, hospitality and confidence.

"Distinguished guests, we must also change the way we think about airports.

An airport is not simply a place where aircraft land and take off. It is an economic ecosystem. It creates employment, supports tourism and logistics, attracts investment, facilitates trade and connects businesses to markets.

"Nigeria is therefore encouraging greater private-sector participation in airport infrastructure and services, while maintaining the standards of safety, security, service and public interest that must guide the industry.

"We are also supporting the development of Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul capacity, aircraft leasing, cargo infrastructure and other parts of the aviation value chain.

"Our ambition is straightforward:

Nigeria should not merely consume aviation services. We must increasingly produce aviation value. And we believe Africa should do the same."

Keyamo , however, said there is a hurdle to attend to. 

" There is, significantly, one challenge we must confront collectively, and that is the challenge of connectivity.

It should not be easier to travel between an African city and a destination outside the continent than to travel between two African cities.

"Africa needs stronger intra-African connectivity, commercially viable airports, appropriate regulatory frameworks and closer cooperation among governments, airlines, airport operators and other stakeholders. The Single African Air Transport Market offers an important framework for achieving this ambition," he said.

Keyamo said the  African Continental Free Trade Area is creating a larger economic space. 

Aviation , he affirmed must help make that economic integration real. When African airports connect Africa more effectively, Africa becomes smaller, and opportunity becomes larger.

He declared ;" Ladies and gentlemen, the future of airports must ultimately be measured by the quality of the passenger experience.

"Biometrics can make processing easier. Artificial intelligence can improve operational decisions. Automation can reduce queues. Data can help us anticipate demand. Digital platforms can improve communication. But technology is only meaningful when it makes a person's journey safer, easier, faster and more dignified.

"We must therefore build smart airports with human hearts.

"There is therefore a call for collective action. This is where ACI Africa has an indispensable role. No country has all the answers. No airport can solve every challenge alone. But together, we can share experience, benchmark performance, develop capacity, attract investment and advocate policies that strengthen African aviation.

I commend the President of ACI Africa, Mr. Fabrice Grondin, the Secretary General, Mr. Ali Tounsi, the Board and Committees, and the entire ACI Africa family for their leadership and commitment.

"I  particularly acknowledge Nigeria's contribution through the Managing Director/Chief Executive of FAAN, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, who serves as Vice-President of ACI Africa. Her leadership is a source of pride to Nigeria and a reflection of the growing contribution of Nigerian aviation professionals to our continent.

"To all our African airport leaders, my message is simple: *Africa has the market, the people, the geography, the tourism assets and the entrepreneurial energy. What we must do is build the infrastructure, policies, connectivity and institutional capacity to convert this enormous potential into sustainable value. 

"Let Abuja 2026 be remembered not simply for the speeches delivered or meetings held, but for the partnerships created, investments initiated, ideas implemented and commitments fulfilled.

"Let discussions at this conference become policies. Let partnerships become projects. Let innovation become everyday practice. And let resilience become a design principle for every airport we build or transform.

"Once again, I warmly welcome the leadership of ACI Africa, airport Chief Executives, aviation professionals, regulators, investors, exhibitors, development partners and all our distinguished guests to Nigeria.

Please experience Abuja. Experience our hospitality, our culture and our warmth.

And when you leave, I hope you will not simply say that you attended an ACI Africa conference in Nigeria. I hope you will say: “Nigeria welcomed us, Nigeria inspired us, and Nigeria reminded us of what Africa can become.”

"The Government of Nigeria remains committed to working with ACI Africa, ACI World, African governments, airport operators, airlines, regulators, investors and development partners to build an aviation sector that is safe, competitive, sustainable, innovative and resilient.

"Our commitment is unimpeachable. When our airports perform better, our economies perform better. When our airports become more resilient, our nations become more resilient. And when African airports connect Africa, Africa moves forward together.

"It is therefore my honour and privilege to welcome you to Nigeria and to declare open the 35th ACI Africa Annual General Assembly, the 76th Board and Committee Meetings, and the Regional Conference and Exhibition.

"May this gathering strengthen our partnerships, deepen our resolve and help build the airports that the Africa of tomorrow deserves."