The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, CON, FCIArb. (UK), has been nominated as The Sun Newspaper's Minister of The Year Award for 2024. This was announced today by the Managing Director of The Sun Newspaper, Mr. Onuoha Ukeh, who led a high-power delegation of his management team on a courtesy visit to the Minister in Abuja.
While receiving the letter of nomination and invitation for the award, Keyamo described the nomination as encouraging and exciting. He stated that his commitment is not aimed at receiving accolades but rather at serving the people as a dedicated public servant.
Keyamo highlighted that aviation is a customer-centric sector that is visible and judged by all. While acknowledging that challenges remain in the industry, he emphasized that policy generation, implementation, and communication have significantly improved the Aviation Ministry’s service delivery.
He further expressed that the endorsement by The Sun Newspaper, one of Nigeria's leading media organizations, affirms that the public is recognizing the progress in the aviation industry under his leadership. He also noted that two other major Nigerian newspapers have similarly nominated him for the same award.
Speaking earlier, the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Sun Newspapers, Onuoha Ukeh, stated that the nomination of the Honourable Minister was solely based on merit. He chronicled the Minister’s achievements since his appointment in 1999, particularly in the Aviation Ministry.
“In line with the vision of the Aviation Ministry ‘to be the best aviation industry in Africa and one of the best in the world’ and its mission ‘to build a safe, secure, and efficient aviation industry focused on making Nigeria a hub that meets international standards and best practices for the African continent,’ you introduced a five-point agenda. This agenda has prioritized advancing safety, infrastructure, support for local operators, human capacity development, and revenue generation. Under your stewardship, Nigeria's aviation sector has witnessed a remarkable transformation,” Onuoha stated.
He also cited a historic milestone—the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) signing the updated Procedure for Recordation of Irrevocable Deregistration and Export Request Authorization—under Keyamo’s leadership.
Onuoha commended the recent ‘Operation AirClean,’ approved by the Honourable Minister, aimed at eliminating multiple physical checks by various security agencies at international airports. By leveraging technology and cameras for security checks, the initiative has curbed harassment of travelers by different government agencies and instilled confidence in the future of Nigeria’s aviation sector.
The award ceremony is scheduled for the 1st of March, 2025, at Eko Hotel, Lagos. It is expected to be one of the first and largest gatherings organized by The Sun Newspapers, and they look forward to hosting the Honourable Minister and his entourage in person.
Odutayo Oluseyi
Head (Press and Public Relations)