The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo on Tuesday canvassed for Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) toward enhancing connectivity across Africa.
Keyamo made his opinion known at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Conference held in Johannesburg, South Africa, with the theme, “Wings of Change Focus Africa 2024. “
A statement on the event signed by Mr Tunde Moshood, Special Assistant on Media and Communications to the Minister was made available to newsmen in Abuja.
Keyamo emphasised the critical importance of SAATM, an initiative aimed at liberalising the African aviation industry to enhance connectivity, improve safety standards, and boost economic growth.
He said such collaborative efforts among African nations would increase trade, tourism, and investment opportunities that a unified air transport market could bring.
The Minister outlined several key contributions necessary for achieving the SAATM objectives, including, policy harmonisation, infrastructure development and capacity building.
He added that Public-Private Partnerships ought to be encouraged to leverage resources, expertise, and innovation for the growth and sustainability of the aviation sector.
The Minister also called for a concerted effort to address the challenges facing the African aviation industry, such as high operational costs, restrictive bilateral agreements, and limited access to financing.
He stressed that overcoming the obstacles was essential to unlocking the full potential of SAATM and achieving the broader economic benefits for the continent.
He said Nigeria would keep on reinforcing commitment to playing a pivotal role in advancing the African aviation industry. (NAN)
