The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has been appointed as the African Development Bank’s champion for the Integrated Aviation Transformation Programme for Africa (IATP), a continental aviation investment initiative valued at $7 billion.
The Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood , who disclosed this in a press release said the appointment was announced in a statement issued on 27th May, 2026 in Brazzaville, Congo, ahead of the African Development Bank’s Annual Meeting scheduled for May 28, 2026, where Nigeria is also expected to formally sign a Letter of Intent with the bank on the programme.
The event is expected to bring together development partners, institutional investors, airlines and regulators to discuss strategies for transforming Africa’s aviation sector and supporting continental integration initiatives such as the Single African Air Transport Market and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
According to the AfDB, Nigeria earned the recognition because of what it described as the country’s “leadership and vision” in driving reforms aimed at transforming the aviation sector.
In a letter dated May 26, 2026, the bank said Nigeria had demonstrated “outstanding leadership” during the early phase of the programme by completing the IATP country survey, advancing work on a country compact and identifying opportunities to finance aircraft acquisition in Nigeria.
The Integrated Aviation Transformation Programme for Africa is designed as a continent-wide platform to modernise Africa’s aviation ecosystem, mobilise private and institutional capital and de-risk investments in the sector.
The AfDB noted that African airlines currently account for less than three per cent of global air traffic despite the continent housing nearly 18 per cent of the world’s population.
The bank also said Keyamo would play a leading role in promoting the programme across the continent and shaping its aircraft finance pillar, including efforts to establish a Nigerian aviation financing platform that could serve as a model for other African countries.
The AfDB further described Nigeria as one of the IATP’s foremost country champions and expressed appreciation to the Nigerian government for its commitment to advancing aviation development across Africa.
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