African Devt Bank Appoints Keyamo to Lead $7bn Aviation Transformation Programme in Africa

Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, SAN, has been named the African Champion for the African Development Bank’s newly launched Integrated Aviation Transformation Programme for Africa (IATP), a $7 billion effort to revitalize the continent’s aviation sector.

The bank announced the appointment in a statement issued on Wednesday in Brazzaville, Congo, citing Nigeria’s “leadership and vision” in implementing policy reforms aimed at transforming the country’s aviation industry.

Keyamo has been invited to the bank’s Annual Meeting on May 28 in Brazzaville, where the Letter of Intent between Nigeria and the bank will be formally signed.

The IATP is a continent‑wide platform designed to modernize Africa’s aviation ecosystem and mobilize private, institutional, and concessional capital for the sector.

The programme aims to revive Africa’s aviation industry, noting that African airlines currently account for less than three per cent of global air traffic despite the continent housing nearly 18 per cent of the world’s population.

“The Aviation Minister is now expected to bring his knowledge, commitment and passion to drive this program across the whole of Africa,” the statement said.

The bank also expressed “its deep gratitude to the Minister for his commitment to advancing aviation in the whole of Africa.”