- Keyamo Calls for Human Capital Investment to Strengthen Air Traffic Management in Africa
- Keyamo added that Nigeria is expanding training pipelines for air traffic controllers
- Reaffirms Nigeria’s commitment to aviation safety and human capacity development under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has urged African nations to increase investment in human capital development to strengthen Air Traffic Management (ATM) and ensure safer skies across the continent.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Keyamo made the call in his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 36th International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations (IFATCA) Africa and Middle East Regional Meeting held in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
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He said that well-trained and motivated air traffic controllers are essential to improving operational efficiency and aviation safety, stressing that Africa’s growing airspace complexity demands both technological innovation and skilled human resources.
Speaking under the conference theme, “Securing the Skies: Strengthening Air Traffic Management Capacity through Strategic Recruitment, Training, and Retention,” the minister emphasised that people remain the foundation of effective airspace management.
“Across our region, we face rising operational complexity and higher expectations from the travelling public. To meet these challenges, we must invest not only in technology but more importantly in people. It is the professionalism, alertness, and dedication of air traffic controllers that keep millions of passengers safe every single day,” Keyamo stated.
The minister reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to aviation safety and human capacity development under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that through the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Federal Government is modernising its Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) systems.
He added that Nigeria is expanding training pipelines for air traffic controllers and institutionalising programmes that support mental wellbeing, peer mentorship, and professional excellence in ATM operations.
Keyamo also highlighted Nigeria’s collaboration with regional organisations such as the Banjul Accord Group Aviation Safety Oversight Organisation (BAGASOO) to accelerate Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) certification, improve safety oversight, and entrench a strong safety culture across Africa’s aviation ecosystem.
“Aviation is a shared ecosystem. Its strength lies in collaboration among states, regulators, ANSPs, and professional bodies like IFATCA. Our skies know no borders; therefore, our success must also be borderless, built on shared knowledge, shared responsibility, and shared resolve,” he said.
The minister commended IFATCA for its global advocacy for professionalism and the welfare of air traffic controllers and expressed appreciation to the Government and people of Zimbabwe for their hospitality and successful hosting of the regional meeting.
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