Keyamo Calls for Stronger Investment in Human Capital to Secure Africa’s Skies
Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has charged African countries to prioritise the recruitment, training, and retention of skilled aviation personnel in order to guarantee safer airspace operations across the continent.
Keyamo made this call in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, while delivering the keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 36th International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations (IFATCA) Africa & Middle East Regional Meeting.
Speaking on the conference theme, “Securing the Skies: Strengthening ATM Capacity through Strategic Recruitment, Training, and Retention,” the Minister stressed that as Africa’s aviation sector continues to expand, the demand for well-trained, well-motivated, and mentally supported air traffic controllers has never been higher.
“Across our region, we face rising complexity in operations and higher expectations from the travelling public. To meet these challenges, we must invest not only in technology, but – even more importantly – in people. It is the professionalism, alertness, and dedication of air traffic controllers that keep millions of passengers safe every single day,” Keyamo said.
He said the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is prioritising aviation safety through a comprehensive 5-Point Aviation Agenda, noting that Nigeria’s efforts through the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) include modernising Communication, Navigation and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management systems, expanding training pipelines, and institutionalising mental health and peer mentorship programmes for controllers.
Keyamo also highlighted Nigeria’s growing partnerships with regional institutions, including the Banjul Accord Group Aviation Safety Oversight Organisation (BAGASOO), in accelerating Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) certification, improving safety oversight, and promoting a steady safety culture across aviation value chains.
He emphasised that international collaboration remains key in building safer skies.
“Aviation is a shared ecosystem. Its strength lies in collaboration – among States, regulators, ANSPs, and professional bodies like IFATCA. Our skies know no borders; therefore, our success must also be borderless – built on shared knowledge, shared responsibility, and shared resolve,” he added.
The Minister commended IFATCA for championing professionalism among air traffic controllers globally, and thanked the Government and people of Zimbabwe for hosting the event.
He specifically acknowledged the hospitality from his Zimbabwean counterpart, Hon. Felix Mhona, Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development.
Top officials at the event included: Felix Mhona, Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development of Zimbabwe; Joseph Bukari Nikpe, Ghana’s Transport Minister; Gen. (Rtd.) Edward Katumba Wamala, Minister of Works and Transport of Uganda, represented by Ms Olive Birungi Lumonya, Deputy Director General of the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority; Helena Sjöström Falk, President of IFATCA; and Ahmad Abba, Executive Vice President, IFATCA Africa & Middle East.
Keyamo urged all countries and aviation leaders present to translate the outcomes of the conference into concrete actions that reinforce air safety and help build a resilient, highly skilled workforce capable of managing tomorrow’s increasingly complex skies.
“May our deliberations here translate into real actions that enhance capacity, strengthen cooperation, and secure a brighter future for aviation in Africa and the Middle East,” he said.
