The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, is currently in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, on a working visit as one of the special guests at the 8th Africa-Ireland Trade Horizon Conference.
The annual event brings together leaders from Africa and Ireland to deepen bilateral ties and foster mutually beneficial trade and development partnerships.
In his scheduled address at the conference, the minister is expected to highlight Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening strategic international alliances in aviation, infrastructure development, and skills advancement, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda.
On the sidelines of the conference, the minister, accompanied by the Chargé d’Affaires of the Nigerian Embassy in Ireland, Ibiyemi Ajiboye-Roberts paid a technical visit to Newcastle Aerodrome Aviation School, located in Wicklow County, Dublin. The delegation was received by the CEO of the institution, John Nugent.
During the tour, Keyamo inspected the school’s fleet of Viper SD4 trainer aircraft, simulation labs, classrooms, and maintenance hangars. Discussions between the Nigerian delegation and the school’s management focused on fostering strategic collaboration between Newcastle Aerodrome and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria.
Other key areas of proposed partnership include the joint development of aviation training curricula aligned with modern global standards, the launch of a collaborative pilot licensing programme between Ireland and Nigeria, and the development of ancillary skills in aircraft engineering and air traffic control to meet Nigeria’s growing aviation manpower needs.
The minister expressed appreciation for the warm reception and commended the institution’s strong record in aviation training. He reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness for partnerships that will strengthen domestic capabilities and boost the local aviation value chain.
This visit further demonstrates the ministry’s unwavering commitment to repositioning Nigeria as a hub for aviation excellence in Africa through innovation, international collaboration, and capacity development.
