The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, have agreed to establish a stronger civil-military aviation safety framework following the Nigerian Air Force aircraft incident at Igbokoda.

The agreement will deepen collaboration between the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in airworthiness, certification, training, capacity building and other areas critical to aviation safety.

Keyamo announced the initiative on Wednesday after paying a condolence visit to the Chief of Air Staff over the Igbokoda tragedy, during which he signed the condolence register and held a private meeting with the Air Chief.

Speaking after the meeting, the minister said the incident had reinforced the need for civil and military aviation authorities to share expertise and work more closely to protect lives.

He said the two sectors, despite operating under different statutory frameworks, ultimately serve the same country and protect the same citizens.

“It is one country, one people. When disaster happens, it affects everybody. There were civilians in that air crash and when there’s an air crash in the civil aviation too, there can be military personnel. And so, it is important that we cooperate in the area of safety,” Keyamo said.

According to him, the Nigerian Air Force already depends on civil aviation infrastructure, particularly air traffic control, making it necessary to build a more structured relationship between the two sectors.

Keyamo disclosed that he had contacted the Director-General of the NCAA and facilitated direct communication between the NCAA leadership and the Chief of Air Staff as part of efforts to strengthen the partnership.

He said a joint committee involving the NCAA and NAF would be established to coordinate cooperation in airworthiness, certification, training and other aviation safety measures, while respecting the statutory responsibilities of both institutions.

The minister also offered Nigerian Air Force personnel access to relevant training programmes organised by civil aviation authorities.

“There is no reason why we cannot take some names from the Air Force. We have a lot of training we go for, so there is no reason why we cannot,” he said.

Keyamo further acknowledged the specialised expertise within the Nigerian Air Force, noting that military aviation professionals could also contribute to strengthening safety within the civil aviation sector.

“This is a kind of cross-pollination and symbiotic relationship we have decided to build for the safety of the lives of Nigerians,” he said.

Responding, Air Marshal Aneke thanked the minister for the condolence visit and continued support for the Nigerian Air Force.

He said discussions had already commenced on a framework that would allow personnel from the civil aviation sector to contribute to the Air Force’s safety environment, particularly in airworthiness and certification, while NAF personnel would also provide expertise to the civil aviation sector where necessary.

“We have both agreed that we need to move the aviation industry, whether military or civil, to a higher level,” Aneke said.

The Chief of Air Staff welcomed the proposed training opportunities for Air Force personnel, saying stronger professional cooperation would improve capacity and aviation safety nationwide.

He stressed that both institutions had a common responsibility to protect Nigerian lives.

“We are serving the same government; we are protecting the same Nigerians. So we are just a blend of each other,” he said.

The proposed partnership is expected to strengthen information sharing, technical cooperation, professional training and safety coordination between Nigeria’s civil and military aviation authorities.

The implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) will take centre stage at the 2026 SAPTCO Annual Lecture in Lagos, as aviation stakeholders move to renew attention on Africa’s long-standing plan for a unified air transport market.

The lecture, scheduled for November 5, 2026, will be delivered by former Secretary General of the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), Ms. Iyabo O. Sosina, who played a role in the launch of SAATM during her tenure at the continental aviation body.

The event, which will also serve as a training programme, is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. at the NCAA Training Suite, Annex, Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

According to SAPTCO Managing Consultant, Mr. Sam Adurogoboye, the lecture is expected to provide a platform for aviation experts and stakeholders to examine why the initiative has not achieved the level of implementation envisaged since its launch.

He said the gathering would seek to redirect the attention of African leaders to the objectives of SAATM, including an Open Skies policy, traffic freedoms and the implementation of the 1999 Yamoussoukro Decision.

Launched in January 2018 as an African Union initiative, SAATM was designed to establish a single and unified civil aviation market across the continent.

Adurogoboye said the initiative was intended to open Africa’s skies, increase intra-African air travel and trade, lower air fares and contribute to the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

He, however, noted that the programme had yet to translate fully into the expected reality several years after its conceptualisation and launch.

The SAPTCO official expressed optimism that the annual lecture could serve as a catalyst for renewed efforts towards effective implementation of SAATM, which he said could improve connectivity, stimulate economic growth and reduce operating costs across the continent.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), is expected to attend the event as Special Guest of Honour, while the Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Chris Najomo, will be Guest of Honour.

Other participants are expected from airlines, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), aviation agencies and the aviation media.

Former NCAA Director General, Dr. Harold Demuren, who delivered the inaugural SAPTCO Lecture last year, is also expected to attend as Father of the Day.

Labour leaders have honoured the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, with the “Workers Minister of the Decade Award” for his commitment to workers’ issues.

The award was presented to Keyamo on Thursday during the 2026 National Pre-Retirement Summit at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.

The presentation was led by the President of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Comrade Chief Godwin Abumisi, and the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero.

According to the organisers, the award was presented in recognition of Keyamo’s “outstanding leadership and commitment to workers’ issues,” including his contributions to matters concerning workers and pensioners.

The ceremony was part of the activities of NPS 2026, a two-day summit convened by XEM Consultants Limited to address retirement planning, financial preparedness and post-service wellbeing.

More than 100 public and private sector organisations participated in the summit, which brought together stakeholders from government, organised labour, the private sector and other institutions.

The summit was organised under the theme, “Own Your Retirement: From Planning to Action,” with discussions focused on strategies for enabling workers to prepare adequately for life after active service.

Keyamo, who received the award in the presence of labour leaders and other stakeholders, thanked the organisers for the recognition and stressed the importance of safeguarding workers’ dignity, welfare and rights both during active employment and after retirement.

The minister’s media adviser, Tunde Moshood, issued the statement announcing the award.