Keyamo clears air on 30% debt waiver for domestic airlines

The Federal Government’s decision to grant a 30 per cent discount on outstanding statutory fees for domestic airline operators is a strategic move aimed at reducing high operational costs in the aviation industry, especially in Africa.

Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this while speaking at the just concluded African Air Transport Expo 2026, organised by the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) in Lomé, Togo.

The Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, made this known in a statement made available on Friday.

Keyamo, who called for actions to unlock Africa’s aviation potential, emphasized that the continent must transition from mere policy declarations to practical reforms that directly benefit airlines and passengers.

According to the statement, the minister reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to reducing the cost burden on airlines and passengers, describing aviation as a strategic economic enabler rather than a source of excessive government revenue. “Aviation is an economic enabler, not a revenue collection point.

Nigeria is aggressively driving down costs through a 30 per cent discount on statutory fees for domestic operators approved by Mr. President, transitioning towards VAT neutrality, and auditing duplicate levies,” Keyamo was quoted as saying.

The minister also emphasised that the era of merely signing agreements must give way to practical measures that guarantee unrestricted air connectivity across the continent.

He added that enhanced market access remains critical to achieving the African Union’s vision of a connected continent, stressing that seamless air transport would boost trade, tourism, investment and regional integration. “We must move from signatures to actual traffic rights.

Over the next 24 months, Nigeria will streamline permits for African carriers, align air agreements, and lead the Banjul Accord Group, BAG, to progressively treat West Africa as a unified domestic market. “The real test of our success is no longer how many declarations we adopt, but how many African routes we open, how many restrictions we remove, and how many passengers actually benefit,” Keyamo further noted.

The Minister further challenged African governments and industry stakeholders to focus on measurable outcomes rather than declarations and communiqués.