The Federal Ministry of Aviation in Nigeria has been renamed the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace of Nigeria, according to an announcement by the country’s Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika. The change was made because aviation and aerospace have become intertwined and the country needs to be proactively setting its policies to align with future occurrences, Sirika said.
The move is also linked to the establishment of the African Aerospace and Aviation University in Abuja. The council has approved the draft National Civil Aviation Policy, which is intended to strengthen civil aviation. The government has also approved the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano. The Abuja airport will be concessioned for 20 years, while that of Kano will be concessioned for 30 years.
The concessions for the Abuja and Kano airports align with the Aviation Roadmap approved by President Muhammadu Buhari in October 2016. The concessions signify the ministry’s commitment towards revitalising the nation’s aviation sector. The move is part of the Federal Government’s ongoing reform of the aviation sector. In May 2016, the government announced the establishment of a national carrier and an aviation leasing company as it sought to reposition the industry. The government also approved the appointment of transaction advisers for the establishment of the national carrier and the development of major airports.
The renaming of the ministry comes as Nigeria aims to boost its aerospace and aviation industry, which has been underdeveloped. The country is Africa’s largest economy and has one of the continent’s largest populations, yet it has struggled to develop its aviation sector. The government has been working to address the challenges facing the sector, which include a lack of infrastructure, high operating costs, and a poor safety record.
