{"id":7880,"date":"2025-05-20T08:33:32","date_gmt":"2025-05-20T08:33:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/?p=7880"},"modified":"2025-05-20T08:33:32","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T08:33:32","slug":"nigeria-urges-swift-implementation-of-single-african-air-transport-market-saatm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/20\/nigeria-urges-swift-implementation-of-single-african-air-transport-market-saatm\/","title":{"rendered":"Nigeria Urges Swift Implementation of Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM)"},"content":{"rendered":"

ABUJA, Nigeria \u2014 May 20, 2025<\/strong> | The Federal Government of Nigeria has renewed calls for the accelerated implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM)<\/strong>, urging African nations to move from commitments to coordinated action in realizing seamless intra-African air connectivity.<\/p>\n

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo<\/strong>, made this appeal on Monday at the opening of the 18th Plenary Session of the Banjul Accord Group (BAG)<\/strong> in Abuja.<\/p>\n

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\u201cOur skies must no longer be defined by closed borders, but by open opportunities,\u201d said Keyamo, stressing the urgency of SAATM\u2019s full operationalization to advance Africa\u2019s economic integration under the African Union\u2019s Agenda 2063<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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SAATM: Africa\u2019s Aviation Integration Vision<\/strong><\/h3>\n

SAATM, launched by the African Union in 2018, aims to create a single unified air transport market<\/strong> across the continent, reduce travel costs, and stimulate economic growth by removing restrictions on African airlines.<\/p>\n

Keyamo acknowledged the political will shown by African leaders but criticized the slow pace of implementation<\/strong>, noting that fragmentation continues to hinder regional integration.<\/p>\n

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\u201cAir connectivity enhances competitiveness of cities and nations. SAATM promises to reduce travel time and cost, increase trade, and improve mobility for goods and people,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Nigeria Reaffirms Commitment to BAG and Regional Aviation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The minister reaffirmed Nigeria\u2019s commitment to the Banjul Accord Group<\/strong>, a sub-regional aviation body comprising seven West African countries working to harmonize aviation standards and oversight.<\/p>\n

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\u201cNigeria remains unwavering in its support of BAG\u2019s ideals\u2014cooperation, safety, and integration,\u201d Keyamo noted.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

He emphasized BAG\u2019s role in enhancing aviation safety, regulatory alignment, and capacity building<\/strong> among member states, describing the forum as \u201ca true model of African aviation solidarity.\u201d<\/p>\n

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DGCA, Lawmakers Highlight Infrastructure and Workforce Challenges<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Also speaking at the event, Captain Chris Najomo<\/strong>, Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)<\/strong>, identified major challenges facing the region\u2019s aviation sector:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • \n

    Infrastructure gaps<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    Shortage of aviation professionals<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    Emerging safety risks<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    Need for digital transformation<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    \n

    \u201cThis session is an opportunity to not only reflect on our achievements but also to tackle the pressing issues head-on,\u201d Najomo said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    He reaffirmed Nigeria\u2019s leadership role in advancing BAG\u2019s goals and aligning with ICAO\u2019s \u2018No Country Left Behind\u2019 initiative<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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    BAG Secretariat, Lawmakers Align on Regional Integration<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Fansu Bojang<\/strong>, Director-General of the Gambia Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA)<\/strong> and Head of the BAG Secretariat, emphasized that more collaboration is needed to unlock the full potential of the sub-region.<\/p>\n

    In a show of legislative support, Senator Buhari Abdulfatai<\/strong>, Chair of the Senate Committee on Aviation<\/strong>, represented by Senator Augustine Akobundu<\/strong>, assured that the National Assembly is committed to harmonizing aviation regulations<\/strong> in West Africa.<\/p>\n

    \n

    \u201cWe support a unified West African aviation community that promotes safety, growth, and connectivity,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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    Outlook: From Political Will to Action<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    As the session continues, stakeholders are expected to deliberate on timelines, safety oversight improvements, and investment strategies to make SAATM a reality<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    Keyamo concluded with a challenge to participants:<\/p>\n

    \n

    \u201cLet us leave this meeting with a shared determination to elevate BAG into a driver of the African aviation renaissance.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    ABUJA, Nigeria \u2014 May 20, 2025 | The Federal Government of Nigeria has renewed calls for the accelerated implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), urging African nations to move from commitments to coordinated action in realizing seamless intra-African air connectivity. The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, made this appeal […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3152,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"Nigeria urges African countries to accelerate the implementation of SAATM for seamless, affordable intra-African air travel.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[37,35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-news"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7880"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7880"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7880\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7883,"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7880\/revisions\/7883"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3152"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7880"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7880"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7880"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}