Keyamo Mandates Foreign Airlines to Use Local Caterers for On-Board Meals Starting January 2025
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has issued a directive requiring foreign airlines operating in Nigeria to patronise local caterers for in-flight meals.
This directive is set to take effect from 1st January 2025.
In a letter dated 15th October 2024, signed by H.T. Ejibunu, the Director overseeing the office of the Permanent Secretary, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) was instructed to enforce this mandate.
The ministry emphasised that all outbound international flights, especially those operated by foreign carriers, are to comply with the new regulation.
“I am directed by the Honourable Minister of Aviation to convey to you his decision to mandate all outbound flights from Nigeria, especially foreign airlines, to patronise local caterers for on-board meals,” the ministry stated in the letter.
The directive is part of the government’s efforts to promote local businesses and create job opportunities within the country’s aviation catering sector.
By shifting meal production to Nigerian-based caterers, the ministry aims to boost the local economy and encourage foreign airlines to support indigenous companies.
The NCAA has been tasked with notifying all foreign airlines of the decision, ensuring that they adhere strictly to the mandate starting from the beginning of the new year.
