Insufficient aircraft causing flight cancellations and high airfares – Keyamo

Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has attributed the frequent flight cancellations and rising ticket prices in the country to a shortage of aircraft. 

Speaking in an interview with BBC Pidgin on Saturday, October 12, Keyamo acknowledged the challenges faced by both local and international travelers, including flight delays without prior notice, and assured that these issues would soon be resolved.

Keyamo revealed that the government has initiated steps to support Nigerian airline operators by encouraging partnerships with foreign aircraft manufacturers.

“I met with the people on the ground and asked them, and they told me that the money they pay to hire (rent) airplanes is too high,” Keyamo explained. “They call it wet lease, and the kind of airplanes they get are not the ones they can pay for in installments, why? It’s because the people who bring airplanes to Nigeria for business are afraid of Nigeria.”

Keyamo went on to elaborate on why foreign airplane suppliers hesitate to do business in Nigeria. “They said Nigeria is full of dishonest people, and anytime they bring their planes to Nigeria, if the people cannot pay, they cannot recover their planes.”

In response, Keyamo noted that the government signed the Cape Town Convention (CTC), which reassures international aircraft leasing companies that their planes will be protected in the event of any financial or legal disputes. “The law we signed states that if anyone brings an airplane into Nigeria, if there’s a problem, the government will allow them to take their airplane back, we cannot hold it,” he said.

Following the signing of the Cape Town Convention, Nigeria’s aviation rating has improved significantly, rising from 49 percent to 70.5 percent, according to Keyamo. He expressed optimism that the increased availability of planes will lead to reduced ticket prices for passengers.

The federal government signed the Cape Town Convention practice direction on September 12, a move aimed at enabling domestic airlines to access aircraft through dry lease arrangements, reducing operational costs, and expanding airline capacity in the country.

With the new agreement in place, Nigerian airline operators are expected to secure more aircraft, ultimately reducing flight cancellations and delays while potentially lowering ticket prices for passengers.