The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, CON, alongside the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, has “officially flagged off RwandaAir’s first dedicated cargo flight on the Nigeria–East/Southern Africa Air Cargo Route, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s quest to deepen intra-African trade and economic integration.”
A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Communication to the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Tunde Moshood said, “The launch of the cargo service represents a major breakthrough under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, creating new opportunities for Nigerian exporters to access markets across East and Southern Africa while strengthening regional supply chains and boosting continental commerce.”
The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, CON
According to the statement the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development emphasized the strategic importance of the initiative in unlocking Africa’s trade potential through enhanced air connectivity.”
“We’re here with some of our exporters; this is where aviation interlines with trade and investment. This is in pursuit of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to promote trade and investment across Africa. I am excited to be here with my sister, the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, to supervise and launch this effort in support and consonance with the principles and letters of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). You cannot transform African trade without connecting Africa first,” the Minister stated.
Mr. Keyamo further stressed that “the initiative aligns perfectly with the vision of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), which seeks to liberalize air transport services across the continent and remove barriers that have historically hindered connectivity and commerce among African nations.”
The statement added that: “The Minister recently championed the implementation of SAATM during the African Air Transport Expo held in Lomé, Togo, where he called for stronger commitment by African states to open skies policies and seamless market access as essential tools for driving economic transformation across the continent.”
The flag-off ceremony was attended by government officials, exporters, aviation stakeholders, trade representatives, and RwandaAir executives. The Nigeria–East/Southern Africa Air Cargo Route is expected to provide faster, more efficient, and reliable logistics solutions for exporters in the agricultural, manufacturing, pharmaceutical and other sectors.
The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, CON, alongside the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole