Nigeria hosted a high-level regional workshop on access to finance for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production in Lagos from May 5 to 9, 2025.
The event, organised by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in collaboration with the National Council on Climate Change Secretariat (NCCCS) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), under the Assistance, Capacity Building, and Training for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (ACT-SAF) Africa–India Project.
The five-day hybrid workshop, themed “Access to Finance for SAF Production,” brought together participants from 14 African countries, international financial institutions and SAF project developers. The aim was to explore investment opportunities, address financial challenges and promote risk mitigation and project bankability for SAF development across the continent.
The Nigeria-specific segment took place during the final two days and focused on the country’s domestic roadmap for SAF production.
A major highlight of the workshop was the formal inauguration of six technical working groups (TWGs) by NCAA director-general, Capt. Chris Najomo. Represented by the Lagos regional manager, Bukola Teriba, Najomo emphasised Nigeria’s commitment to advancing sustainable aviation.
The newly inaugurated TWGs will focus on policy and regulation, feedstock and production, funding and investment, technology and innovation, environmental and social impact, as well as infrastructure and logistics.
These working groups are expected to provide strategic guidance on SAF development in Nigeria, laying the foundation for policy, innovation, sustainability and infrastructure growth.
The ACT-SAF workshop also tackled the realities faced by SAF developers and financiers and promoted discussions around de-risking strategies. It underscored the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to achieve viable SAF production across Africa.
Other key objectives included improving understanding of SAF supply chains and financial assessment tools, sharing best practices in financing, mapping key financial stakeholders and identifying available funding instruments to support SAF development.
In her remarks, Teriba reiterated the importance of access to finance in achieving SAF production goals. She noted that investing in SAF aligns with the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) long-term aspirational goal (LTAG) of achieving net-zero carbon emissions in aviation by 2050.
Participants included representatives from ICAO, the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), EU delegations to Nigeria and WACAF, industry stakeholders and development partners. The NCAA’s directorate of air transport regulations coordinated the workshop.
