FG Moves to Boost Local Airlines, Plans Law Mandating Officials to Fly Nigerian Carriers

The Federal Government is set to introduce legislation that will compel government officials to use Nigerian airlines for international travel, a move aimed at strengthening the domestic aviation industry.

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this on Sunday during the ceremonial send-off of Air Peace’s inaugural direct flight from Abuja to London Heathrow Airport. The event was attended by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, and Air Peace chairman, Allen Onyema, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.

Keyamo, who called the bill the “Fly Nigerian Act,” said the law would require “every government official travelling abroad to patronise Nigerian airlines first, except when no local airline operates that route.”

“The first question any government official should answer before travelling abroad is whether a Nigerian airline serves that route,” Keyamo said. “If there is one, they must fly it. This is the essence of the Fly Nigerian Act.”

He added that the initiative aligns with global practice, citing similar laws in countries like the United States and India, which protect and promote their national carriers.

The minister stressed that the legislation would boost confidence in domestic airlines and stimulate growth in the nation’s aviation sector.

Airline industry stakeholders welcomed the proposal, noting that it could help local carriers compete globally and reduce dependence on foreign airlines.