The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Olorogun Festus Keyamo, SAN, CON, FCIArb (UK), has formally thrown open Nigeria’s aviation sector to global and domestic investors, declaring that the narrative has “fundamentally changed from problem-spotting to solution-building” and that the country now offers structured, viable, private-sector-led opportunities.
Delivering the official welcoming address at the 2025 FAAN National Aviation Conference (FNAC) on Monday at the Eko Hotel, Lagos, the Minister told the packed hall of investors, development partners, and industry leaders that Nigeria is no longer just a large market but “a strategic aviation hub” with curated investment priorities designed for profitability.
Under the conference theme “Elevating the Nigerian Aviation Industry Through Investment, Partnership and Global Engagements,” Minister Keyamo highlighted four flagship opportunities being driven by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN):
A. Airport Infrastructure Modernisation
Leveraging the Renewed Hope funding, ongoing terminal modernisation, runway rehabilitation, apron expansion, and new cargo complexes can be delivered through transparent Public-Private Partnership (PPP) frameworks that guarantee viability and attractive investor returns.
B. A World-Class MRO Hub
FAAN is positioned to facilitate a regional Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) centre that will serve West and Central Africa, stem the billions currently lost to offshore maintenance, retain capital in Nigeria, and create thousands of high-skill jobs.
C. Aviation Leasing Companies
With Nigeria’s significantly improved legal and regulatory environment for aviation financing, the stage is now set for the establishment of strong indigenous aircraft leasing firms to support airline fleet renewal and deepen local aviation finance.
D. Cargo and Logistics Hubs
Dedicated cargo and logistics facilities at key FAAN airports will unlock Nigeria’s vast agricultural and manufacturing export potential, reduce post-harvest losses, cut spoilage, and seamlessly integrate Nigerian producers into global supply chains.
The Minister stressed that these are not mere concepts, assuring participants that FAAN will, throughout the two-day conference, present detailed data rooms, project timelines, and fully structured business cases for direct investor engagement.
Describing FNAC 2025 as “an inflexion point” and “a call to action and a call to partnership,” Mr Keyamo urged investors to engage deeply with the proposals and collaborate with FAAN to deliver the world-class aviation ecosystem the African continent deserves.
He extended special commendation to FAAN for organising what he called “this exemplary event” that reflects the agency’s renewed ambition and purpose under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR (represented at the occasion by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume).
In his closing remarks, the Minister expressed full confidence that the conversations ignited at the conference will provide the momentum required to accelerate the ongoing transformation of Nigeria’s aviation sector, declaring: “Together, we are shaping the future, and the future begins now.”
Reported by Clarion Newsteam, Eko Hotel, Lagos
AVIATION MINISTER FESTUS KEYAMO SAN DECLARES NIGERIAN AVIATION “OPEN FOR BUSINESS” AS HE OUTLINES HIGH-RETURN INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT FNAC 2025
