The African Development Bank (AfDB) has appointed Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to drive its $7 billion Integrated Aviation Transformation Programme for Africa.
- +AfDB appoints Festus Keyamo to drive $7 billion aviation programme for Africa
The announcement was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister.
The announcement was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister.
The appointment is part of the AfDB’s broader plan to modernise Africa’s aviation sector, improve infrastructure, and attract significant private and institutional investment across the continent.
The move positions Nigeria at the centre of a continental aviation reform agenda as the bank pushes for stronger regional coordination and expanded air connectivity across African states.
According to the statement, the AfDB selected Keyamo based on what it described as Nigeria’s leadership and reform efforts in the aviation sector. The bank said the minister is expected to play a key role in supporting the rollout of the programme across Africa.
The statement added that Keyamo has been invited to the AfDB Annual Meeting in Brazzaville on May 28, 2026, where a Letter of Intent between the bank and Nigeria is expected to be formally signed.
The Integrated Aviation Transformation Programme (IATP) was previously unveiled by the AfDB at the Airlines, Capital and Connectivity Forum in Nairobi as a continent-wide initiative to modernise Africa’s aviation industry.
The programme is structured around three core pillars aimed at improving efficiency, safety, and competitiveness in the sector.
AfDB officials said the programme is designed to make African aviation more integrated, competitive, and climate-aligned, while also improving access to aircraft financing and upgrading airport infrastructure.
The Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) is a flagship African Union Agenda 2063 initiative designed to create a unified air transport market across Africa and advance liberalisation of civil aviation.
It is aimed at improving connectivity, boosting trade and tourism, and strengthening economic integration across the continent through more open skies policies.
The AfDB’s aviation transformation programme also aligns with broader African Union plans to modernise aviation infrastructure, improve regulatory systems, and attract private investment into the sector.
