Aviation Minister explores partnerships at Future Aviation Forum in Saudi Arabia

Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development is engaging with Middle East aviation leaders at the ongoing Future Aviation Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Hosted at King Abdulaziz International Conference Center (KAICC), the forum marks a moment for global aviation collaboration.

At the behest, of Jassim Saif Ahmed Al-Sulaiti, Minister of Transport of the State of Qatar, and His Excellency Saleh Al-Jasser, Minister of Transport and Logistics of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Aviation Minister convened on the sidelines to deepen ties between Nigeria and the Middle East in the realm of air transportation and logistics.

The third edition of the Future Aviation Forum, themed ‘Elevating Global Connectivity,’ underscores the importance of fostering innovation, sustainable air travel, and cultural exchange.

By bringing together leaders from the aviation sector and adjacent industries, the forum serves as a catalyst for knowledge exchange and business opportunities in a dynamic economic sector.

Keyamo expressed gratitude to Minister Al-Sulaiti for his keen interest in Nigeria, affirming Nigeria’s openness to investment in civil aviation and other sectors of the economy. Emphasizing the importance of learning from Qatar’s success in airline operations, particularly exemplified by the global acclaim of Qatar Airways, the Minister sought collaboration to enhance Nigeria’s aviation sector.

A key proposal made by the Nigeria Aviation Minister involves encouraging Qatar Airways to patronize local catering services on its return trips to Doha from Nigeria. This initiative aligns with the principles of reciprocity outlined in the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) and aims to stimulate Nigeria’s local economy.

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ByIfeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.