The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has defended the Federal Government’s aviation reforms, insisting that the entry of more domestic airlines into Nigeria’s aviation sector will ultimately benefit passengers through lower ticket prices and improved services.
Speaking on **Channels Television’s Politics Today** on Thursday, Keyamo said the government’s strategy of encouraging competition among local carriers was already yielding results, noting that domestic airfares had dropped significantly compared to the high prices recorded during the Christmas season.
“Guess what? What did you pay during Christmas? Four hundred and something, five hundred thousand. What is it now? It’s a hundred and something. We are forcing it down by competition. We have opened the doors,” he said.
The minister stated that Nigeria’s commercial aviation industry was witnessing an unprecedented influx of new airlines, a development he attributed to policies introduced under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
According to him, unlike previous years when many local carriers struggled to remain in operation, the new entrants are being established on stronger and more sustainable business models.
“Under the previous government, you have not seen this kind of surge we are having now into the airline business, commercial airline business, like you have now,” Keyamo said.
He identified **Enugu Air** as one of the latest operators while disclosing that **Caliphate Airlines** was preparing to commence commercial operations in Sokoto.
Keyamo maintained that supporting the growth and sustainability of indigenous airlines had become a priority for the Tinubu administration.
“It’s only President Bola Tinubu’s government that has made it a point, a one-point agenda, to support the sustenance of local airlines. The growth and sustenance of local airlines,” he added.
On concerns over the high cost of aviation fuel, the minister clarified that the pricing of Jet A1 fuel falls under the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and not the aviation ministry.
He explained that although he had engaged fuel marketers and convened meetings to address the issue, he lacked the statutory authority to regulate fuel prices.
Keyamo also attributed the recent spike in aviation fuel costs to global developments, including tensions involving Iran, noting that prices had begun to ease in recent weeks.
Commenting on recent aviation incidents, the minister described the runway excursion involving an Enugu Air aircraft at Benin Airport as an isolated case caused by a slippery runway, urging the public to await the outcome of ongoing investigations.
He also confirmed that the recent private jet incident in Asaba constituted a security breach, revealing that the aircraft’s pilot and crew had been taken into custody by the Department of State Services (DSS) for questioning.
The minister further disclosed that the Federal Government was considering concessioning more airports that are currently not financially viable as part of efforts to improve efficiency and strengthen airport operations nationwide.
(The Sun)
