(Festus Keyamo. Photo by Premuim Times)
Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has been appointed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) as the African champion for its sweeping $7 billion continental aviation overhaul initiative, known as the Integrated Aviation Transformation Programme for Africa (IATP).
The bank cited Nigeria’s demonstrated leadership and commitment to aviation policy reform as the basis for the appointment.
According to a statement from the Minister’s media aide, Tunde Moshood, Keyamo was also invited to the AfDB’s annual meeting held on May 28, 2026, in Brazzaville, where Nigeria and the bank were set to formally sign a letter of intent marking the beginning of their official partnership.
The IATP is designed as a continent-wide effort to modernize Africa’s aviation landscape by attracting private, institutional, and concessional funding.
The programme addresses a stark imbalance despite being home to nearly 18 percent of the world’s population, African airlines account for less than 3 percent of global air traffic.
The initiative aims to close that gap by revitalizing the industry from the ground up.
With his appointment, Keyamo is expected to leverage his expertise and advocacy to drive the programme’s goals across the African continent.
The AfDB first unveiled the initiative in March 2026 as part of its broader push to bring Africa’s aviation sector in line with global standards.