Nigeria will continue to prioritize aviation safety and security as essential components to expanding the industry, according to President Muhammadu Buhari.
This was said by President Buhari on Monday in Abuja at the 14th ICAO Air Services Negotiation meeting.
Additionally, Buhari said that Nigeria’s participation in the open sky agreements had brought in significant investments for the aviation industry.
“Nigeria continues to champion the cause of aviation safety, security and facilitation throughout the Continent with our on-going support on the comprehensive regional implementation plan for Aviation Security and the Human Resources Development Fund, HRDF, plans” he said.
President Buhari was represented by his Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.
He also said Nigeria’s focus leveraging public private partnership, is also yielding results.
“Nigeria has adopted a Civil Aviation Policy cantered on liberalization and Public Private Partnership, PPP, initiatives. This has resulted in significant growth of the industry, including huge investments in the Nation Airports which has increased our airports capacities and growth of the domestic airline industry” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, reiterated that the Nigerian aviation sector is still one of the fastest growing sectors and impacting new jobs.
In his opening remarks, the Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu, said the ICAO events are a unique opportunity to share experiences.
“Since the establishment of this unique global negotiation event by ICAO in 2008, ICAN events have provided participating States with a central congregating point to conduct bilateral, regional or multilateral air services negotiations that result in Air Services Agreements between member States.”
Nuhu also said it provides a global stage for networking opportunities for policy makers, regulators, service providers and other industry stakeholders.