Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, has asked EgyptAir to discontinue the deployment of ageing aircraft into Nigeria’s aviation market.
Keyamo spoke on Thursday during a bilateral meeting with
Sameh El-Hefny, his Egyptian counterpart, on the sidelines of the ongoing
El-Alamein International Airshow (EIAS 2026) in Egypt.
According to a statement by Tunde Moshood, the minister’s
media aide, the meeting centred on improving air connectivity between Nigeria
and Egypt and strengthening cooperation between their civil aviation
authorities.
The discussions also covered expanding technical and
professional capacity and creating greater opportunities for collaboration
among airlines, airports, regulators, and other aviation stakeholders.
“The minister also used the engagement to emphasise the need
for a stronger and more modern fleet deployment by EgyptAir on its Nigerian
routes,” Moshood said.
“He urged the management of EgyptAir to move away from the
continued deployment of ageing aircraft and prioritise the introduction of
newer-generation aircraft into the Nigerian market, noting that fleet
modernisation is essential to improving passenger experience, operational
efficiency and the competitiveness of the airline.”
The media aide noted that Keyamo stressed the strategic
importance of Nigeria-Egypt aviation relations, adding that both countries
occupy important positions in Africa’s aviation ecosystem.
The minister reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to expanding
strategic international partnerships to improve connectivity, promote tourism
and trade, support airline growth and deliver greater value to passengers and
the aviation industry.
According to the statement, the Nigerian delegation also
expressed the country’s readiness to work with Egypt’s ministry of civil
aviation to identify areas of mutual cooperation, particularly under the single
African air transport market (SAATM).
On his part, El-Hefny welcomed the engagement and reaffirmed
Egypt’s commitment to strengthening aviation cooperation with Nigeria.
He called for closer collaboration between both countries to
advance air transport development and strengthen links between their aviation
industries.
The Egyptian minister also advocated for greater
institutional cooperation between the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC)
and the League of Arab Civil Aviation (LACA).
“Enhanced collaboration between the two regional aviation
bodies could promote stronger partnerships and facilitate greater cooperation
among African and Arab States,” he said.
Moshood said the meeting ended with both ministers
reaffirming their commitment to sustained dialogue, stronger institutional
cooperation and initiatives that would deliver tangible benefits to the
aviation sectors of both countries.
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