Yemisi Izuora
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Olorogun Festus Keyamo, has indicated Nigeria’s strength and capability to facilitate a regional Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) centre in the country that will serve West and Central Africa, reducing costs, retaining capital, and creating high-skill jobs.
To be facilitated by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Keyamo, said when put in place it will end billions of money lost yearly by Africa to offshore maintenance.
Speaking at the 2025 FAAN National Aviation Conference in Lagos with theme of this conference, “Elevating the Nigerian Aviation Industry Through Investment, Partnership and Global Engagements,” the Minister said it is a direct expression of Nigeria’s ambition: to position aviation as a catalyst for growth and a magnet for capital.
He said that leveraging on the renewed Hope funding, the Government is modernizing airports terminals, rehabilitating runways, expanding aprons, and developing new cargo complexes assuring that some of these projects could be delivered transparently under PPP frameworks that guarantee viability and investor returns.
With Nigeria’s significantly improved legal standing for aviation financing, the environment is primed for indigenous leasing firms, Keyamo said, saying “This is a direct opportunity to deepen aviation financing and support airline fleet modernization.”
He also noted that Nigeria’s agricultural and manufacturing potential demands efficient export gateways and the plan for dedicated cargo and logistics hubs at key FAAN airports will unlock agro-exports, reduce spoilage, and integrate Nigerian producers into global value chains.
He said, “The narrative of Nigerian aviation has fundamentally changed. We have shifted from problem-spotting to solution-building. The foundation is solid, the opportunities are clear, and the enabling environment is strengthening every day.”