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Keyamo shops for masterplan for Nigerian airports

Nigeria's Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), has said the ministry is searching for world-class consultants to develop a masterplan for the aviation sector.

Speaking with reporters at the 2023 Aviation Management Retreat, a three-day programme being held in Effurun, Uvwie council area of Delta State, Keyamo noted that development of the airports, beginning with the international ones, without a masterplan may lead to impediments to future advancement.

He said: "We don't have a masterplan for our airports and so the first thing I requested for was the masterplan. You cannot develop in the absence of a masterplan. I hear there were some half-hearted efforts before to do it, but still they do not have it.

"So all of these years, we had the aviation sector, especially for our five international airports, we don't have masterplans. The first thing I am doing, whilst we are taking care of what we met on the ground, the terminal buildings, is to look for world-class consultants to develop clear masterplans for us. We will start with the five international airports, then we expand."

"Why do I say so? Because development has been haphazard and without a clear roadmap as to where we are going. So I am quite focused about where I am going."

He cited the case of the new Lagos Airport where two hangars are posing impediments to big body crafts, stating that though not now, there will be need to "compensate and move them".

He also brushed off concessioning of airports, insisting that there has to be a "vision" in the form of a masterplan to be sold to would-be investors.

Earlier delivering a keynote on the theme: "Delivering on The Renewed Hope Agenda,’’ Keyamo emphasized the relevance of the aviation sector to sustainable growth and development of all other spheres of the nation's economy.

According to him, the retreat is in line with President Bola Tinubu's desire to "position the Nigerian aviation industry as a hub on the African continent and the world at large".

He said a five-point agenda which include, ensuring strict compliance with nation laws and regulations and international obligation; improvement and development of infrastructure for passenger convenience, support for the growth and sustenance of local airline business; human capacity development, as well as optimization of revenue generation, identified to drive the sector, would be brainstormed and deliberated upon by participants.

Keyamo said: "Our task in this retreat is to brainstorm, deliberate and carry out a SWOT Analysis of the aviation sector with a view to proffering practical solutions to attain the desired results. We need to be proactive and circumspect in our deliberations regarding where we are today as an industry, where we desire to be and most importantly, how to get there.

"There is no doubt that growth and development in the aviation sector should be private sector driven to attract foreign direct investment. As policy makers, we have a responsibility to ensure that deployment of policies, programs and projects are well articulated and in compliance with ICAO standard."

The minister further listed "technological innovations, deployment of Artificial Intelligence, reduction in carbon emission, training and manpower development, revenue generation, safety and security concerns and sustainability," as issues to be addressed for Nigeria to be the aviation hub in Africa.

In his goodwill message, the Permanent Secretary, of the Aviation Ministry, Dr. Emmanuel Meribole enjoined participants to be "reenergise for more work".

Chairman Senate Committee on Aviation and Aerospace, represented by his deputy, Hon. Thomas Ereyitomi stated that while Nigeria's aviation industry has been growing "slowly but steadily," government must endeavor to improve on the infrastructure and other challenges bedeviling the sector.

Members of the House of Representatives present, Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, Abudullahi Idris Garba (represented) and Chairman, House Committee on Aviation Technology, Rt. Hon. Thomas Ereyitomi, in their separate goodwill messages, expressed readiness to give legislative backing to the Ministry in order to move the sector forward.