THE Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has said increased competition in Nigeria’s aviation sector will continue to drive down the cost of domestic air travel, amid persistent complaints by passengers over high ticket prices.
News Point Nigeria reports that Keyamo made the remarks during a live appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, where he also addressed issues ranging from aviation fuel prices and the recent Enugu Air runway incident to the security breach involving an American-registered private jet in Asaba and plans to concession more airports.
According to the minister, domestic airfares have already dropped significantly from the peak prices recorded during the Christmas season, attributing the reduction to the growing number of airlines entering the country’s commercial aviation market.
“Guess what? What did you pay during Christmas? Four hundred and something, five hundred thousand. What is it now? It’s a hundred and something. We are forcing it down by competition. We have opened the doors,” Keyamo said.
He noted that Nigeria is witnessing an unprecedented surge in commercial airline operators, a development he said had not occurred under previous administrations.
“Under the previous government, you have not seen this kind of surge we are having now into the airline business, commercial airline business, like you have now,” he said.
Keyamo listed Enugu Air among the new entrants into the industry and disclosed that Caliphate Airlines was also preparing to commence operations in Sokoto.
He explained that many of the emerging airlines are being established on more sustainable business models, unlike in the past when several domestic carriers struggled to survive.
“It’s only President Bola Tinubu’s government that has made it a point, a one-point agenda, to support the sustenance of local airlines. The growth and sustenance of local airlines,” the minister stated.
Addressing concerns over the rising cost of aviation fuel, popularly known as Jet A1, Keyamo maintained that pricing of the product does not fall under the regulatory responsibility of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
He explained that Jet A1 is a petroleum product and therefore comes under the supervision of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
The minister said he had engaged fuel marketers and convened several meetings aimed at addressing concerns over aviation fuel prices but stressed that he lacked the authority to regulate or determine the price of the commodity.
According to him, the recent spike in Jet A1 prices was partly triggered by external developments, including the conflict involving Iran, adding that prices have since started declining.
Keyamo argued that although aviation fuel directly affects airline operations and ticket prices, it would be unfair to hold the aviation ministry solely responsible for an issue outside its regulatory mandate.
Speaking on the recent Enugu Air incident, the minister described it as an isolated occurrence caused by a slippery runway.
He cautioned against drawing conclusions while investigations into the incident remain ongoing, saying it was too early to provide definitive details.
An Enugu Air Embraer E170 aircraft arriving from Lagos recently overshot and veered off the runway at Benin Airport. All passengers and crew members were safely evacuated, with no injuries reported.
Following the incident, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria temporarily shut the runway to carry out safety inspections, while some domestic airlines suspended flights to and from Benin City pending the reopening of the facility.
Keyamo also confirmed that the recent incident involving an American-registered private jet in Asaba constituted a security breach.
He disclosed that the pilot and crew members of the aircraft had been taken into the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) for questioning.
The minister further revealed that the Federal Government is considering concessioning more airports that are not financially viable as part of broader efforts to improve operational efficiency and ensure the long-term sustainability of airport infrastructure across the country.