The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN has presented the 2024 budget proposal for the Ministry of Aviation to the Joint Committee of the 10th Assembly on Aviation Technology.
The announcement came through a statement by the head of press and public affairs, Mr. Odutayo Oluseyi.
Keyamo highlighted the performance of the 2023 budget, revealing that it achieved a 40 per cent utilisation based on the releases so far. The proposed budget for the entire ministry and its agencies for 2024 stands at N63 billion.
During the meeting, the minister emphasised the urgency of critical projects such as the second runway in Abuja and the upgrade and rehabilitation of the old terminal at Lagos Airport. He stressed the vital need for attention to these projects.
Outlining his five focus areas for the aviation industry, Keyamo pledged to ensure strict compliance with safety regulations, support the growth of local airline businesses while maintaining international standards, improve infrastructure, develop human capacity within the industry and optimise revenue generation for the Federal Government. He specifically called for an additional N81 billion for the completion of the second runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja, emphasising the risks associated with having only one runway for the capital city.
Keyamo appealed to the joint committee for the procurement of consultancy for the design of a master plan for major airports in Nigeria. He underscored the importance of focusing on safety and requested funds for the procurement of equipment.
The minister informed the committee about President Bola Tinubu’s approval for the purchase of screening machines for the five international airports in Nigeria, addressing a critical aspect of safety.
Touching on the contentious issue of airport concession, Keyamo acknowledged the concerns raised by the 9th Assembly regarding transparency. However, he affirmed that concession is the way forward for the five international airports in Nigeria. He disclosed that he has submitted a memo to the President advocating for a transparent concession process for the Lagos, Kano, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Enugu airports.
