Keyamo Named Among Africa Aviation Leaders As Nigeria Safety Hits 91%

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has been recognised as one of four leading figures driving aviation reform across Africa at the IATA Focus Africa Conference held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Tuesday.

The International Air Transport Association named Keyamo alongside Teresia Mbaika Malokwe, Poppy Khosa and Mesfin Tasew, chief executive officer of Ethiopian Airlines, the conference’s host carrier.

IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil Alawadhi, said the recognition reflected the leaders’ policy direction, reforms and commitment to global aviation standards.

Nigeria’s recognition was backed by performance data, with the country scoring 91.4 per cent in safety oversight assessments by the International Civil Aviation Organization, one of the highest ratings on the continent.

Alawadhi also cited Nigeria’s implementation of the Cape Town Convention and the IDERA framework, international agreements governing aircraft financing and creditor protections, as evidence of the country’s alignment with global regulatory standards.

The recognition came amid concerns over Africa’s aviation safety record. In its communiqué issued at the conference, IATA said the continent’s aviation accident rate, though improving, remains the highest globally.

Africa recorded 7.86 accidents per million sectors in 2025, down from 12.13 in the previous year, but still far above the global average of 1.32. IATA also disclosed that only 19 per cent of accident investigation reports across the continent were completed between 2019 and 2023, compared to the global average of 63 per cent.

The conference, themed “Elevating Aviation Safety, Connectivity and Operational Efficiency in Africa,” also highlighted the high cost of doing business in the sector. African countries account for the largest share of globally blocked airline funds, with $774m trapped as of March 2026 due to restrictions preventing airlines from repatriating earnings. Algeria alone accounts for $258m of the total.

Nigeria was also listed among countries including Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana and Kenya whose API PNR passenger data charges exceed global standards, a cost burden IATA said affects ticket pricing and limits connectivity.

For Keyamo and Nigeria’s aviation sector, the recognition reflects the country’s growing continental profile at a time African nations are competing for airline investment, expanded routes and infrastructure development.

Whether Nigeria can convert its regulatory progress into lower operating costs and improved connectivity for passengers remains the next challenge.