The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, says Nigeria remains the most viable aviation market in the whole of Africa.
He said that with the potential to become an African aviation hub, it is high time the country started to open its market to attract investors who will help improve its infrastructure.
“Nigeria is the most viable country in Africa when it comes to aviation, largest population, largest traffic, most positioned country to be a hub in Africa. So, let us begin to attract people to come,” Keyamo said on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
Asked why he is bidding to host an airshow in the country when the aviation infrastructures are not yet where they ought to be, the minister said the fact that Nigeria has not fixed everything does not mean it will not try and advertise itself to bring in investors into the country.
According to him, the only way forward in terms of infrastructure is to attract private investors because budgetary allocations cannot carry the big infrastructure plan.
He added, “The president in his wisdom has also instituted what we call the Renewed Hope Fund, but that also will provide counterpart fund. It will not provide the full funding for some big infrastructure. So, what do we want to do?
“We have gone round the world and seen airshows across the world, Nigeria has not held an airshow before. An airshow is when you open up the country for investors to come and display their wares.”
‘Concerned over airport harassments’
On activities of security operatives at Nigerian airports, Keyamo said the aviation ministry is concerned over reports of harassments passengers face at Nigerian airports.
He said his ministry has complained to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, on the issue.
“We have complained to the National Security Adviser on this because we are concerned about the harassment of Nigerians. Take note, it is not aviation, it is not Keyamo, I see people tagging me all the time, ‘somebody just asked for a bribe from me’, but it is somebody from another agency,” Keyamo said on the programme.
“They tag me all the time, it is not me, it is not aviation. We have to complain to the office of the national security adviser who is doing a lot on this.”
The Minister also disclosed that the NSA has acquired about 1,000 body cameras for security agencies for better monitoring of activities at the airports.