The Federal Government has promised to offer more assistance to local airline operators to create an enabling environment and ease of operations.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace, Festus Keyamo, who made this known at a ministerial press briefing in Abuja on Monday, assuring that the government will support and empower all local airline operators as it did with Air Peace to enable them to compete with other international airlines.
Keyamo said the government would also facilitate the acquisition of aircrafts under dry lease agreement, which he said, was cheaper compared to the wet lease, restating that the government had planned to review the nation`s Bilateral Air Service Agreements to favour local operators.
He revealed that the government is making conscious and gradual efforts towards embracing eco-friendly practices and green technologies in line with International Civil Aviation Organisation’s long-term global aspirational goal of net-zero carbon emission in the aviation sector.
Speaking on the establishment of Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Centre, Keyamo said the federal government is currently at the advanced stage of discussions with global investors who would collaborate through Public Private Partnership.
He further revealed that he worked closely with the Central Bank of Nigeria to ensure clearance of the longstanding backlog of trapped funds for foreign airlines.
