From Helicopter Crashes To Airline Safety Fiascos: Sh**king Events That Defined Nigeria’s Aviation In 2024

In August 2023, Festus Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), took on the role of Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development. Upon his appointment, Keyamo quickly identified a range of pressing issues plaguing the sector, including the controversial Nigeria Air project, airport concessioning, foreign currency shortages, challenges with profit repatriation, soaring aviation fuel costs, and high levels of taxation……READ MORE 

Other ongoing problems included rising airfares, safety concerns, flight delays, land encroachment at airports, poor transportation services, and widespread corruption. These factors significantly disrupted both domestic and international airline operations.

In this analysis, PREMIUM TIMES highlights some of the key events that defined Nigeria’s aviation sector in 2024, along with projections for the year ahead, based on emerging trends.

In January 2024, Keyamo approved the relocation of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) headquarters from Abuja to Lagos, citing the need to curb public resource wastage and address the dilapidated state of FAAN’s abandoned office in Lagos. The move also aimed to reduce the N1 billion spent by the agency in 2023 on Duty Tour Allowances (DTA) and air tickets for travel between Abuja and Lagos.

In February, the minister ensured the prompt repair and reactivation of the Lagos Airport’s second runway (18R), which had been out of service for nearly a year.

The long-standing issue of trapped funds for international airlines operating in Nigeria was resolved in March 2024, when the government cleared the backlog. This move boosted international airlines’ confidence, leading to Emirates Airlines resuming flights to Nigeria after a year-long hiatus.

In response to safety issues, including abnormal takeoffs and landings, engine fires, and aircraft skidding off runways, the government took action in April 2024, grounding Dana Airlines and issuing warnings to errant operators and passengers.

To address revenue losses, Keyamo secured approval in May from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to end ticket payment exemptions for high-ranking individuals, including the president and vice president. The aim was to ensure the collection of airport toll fees and restore lost revenue.

In June, Keyamo established a ministerial task force to address illegal chartered operations, including money laundering and drug trafficking concerns. By July, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) had suspended the licenses of 10 private jet operators found to be in violation of regulations.

In addition, following a rise in flight delays and cancellations, the NCAA took steps to hold airlines accountable, demanding refunds for delayed flights lasting over five hours.