Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, have agreed to deepen collaboration between Nigeria’s civil and military aviation authorities following the Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash at Igbokoda, Ondo State.
The agreement was reached on Wednesday when Keyamo paid a condolence visit to Aneke over the crash, which has heightened concerns about aviation safety and the need for closer coordination between the two sectors.
The proposed collaboration will focus on aviation safety, airworthiness, certification, training and capacity building, with Keyamo saying the incident had underscored the need to bridge the longstanding gap between civil and military aviation.
Keyamo, who signed the condolence register before meeting privately with the Air Chief, described the crash as a national tragedy and commended the sacrifices of Nigerian Air Force personnel.
“We value the Air Force. We value the efforts of the gallant men and women of the Air Force and what they do for the country,” the minister said.
He said aviation disasters did not discriminate between civilian and military operators, stressing that both sectors ultimately served the same country and its citizens.
“It is one country, one people. When disaster happens, it affects everybody. There were civilians in that air crash and when there’s an air crash in the civil aviation too, there can be military personnel. And so, it is important that we cooperate in the area of safety,” Keyamo said.
The minister noted that the Nigerian Air Force already relied on civil aviation infrastructure, including air traffic control, and said the existing relationship should be expanded into a more structured technical partnership.
According to him, he had contacted the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and facilitated direct communication between the agency and the Chief of Air Staff.
“We have decided that we will cooperate in terms of capacity building,” he said.
Keyamo disclosed that a joint committee comprising the NCAA and the Nigerian Air Force would be established to strengthen cooperation in airworthiness, certification, training and other aviation safety matters, while respecting the statutory responsibilities of both institutions.
He also pledged to make relevant civil aviation training opportunities available to Air Force personnel.
“There is no reason why we cannot take some names from the Air Force. We have a lot of training we go for, so there is no reason why we cannot,” he said.
The minister also acknowledged the specialised expertise within the Air Force, saying the proposed arrangement would enable both sides to exchange knowledge and technical experience.
“This is a kind of cross-pollination and symbiotic relationship we have decided to build for the safety of the lives of Nigerians,” Keyamo said.
Responding, Aneke thanked Keyamo for the condolence visit and his continued support for the Nigerian Air Force.
He said the initiative reflected the growing relationship between civil and military aviation and disclosed that discussions had already begun on a framework for greater technical cooperation.
Under the proposed arrangement, personnel from the civil aviation sector would contribute to the Air Force’s safety systems, particularly in airworthiness and certification, while military aviation specialists would also share their expertise with the civil aviation sector where necessary.
“We have both agreed that we need to move the aviation industry, whether military or civil, to a higher level,” Aneke said.
The Chief of Air Staff welcomed the minister’s offer of training opportunities for Air Force personnel, saying improved capacity would contribute to stronger aviation safety nationwide.
He stressed that both institutions had a common responsibility to protect Nigerian lives.
“We are serving the same government; we are protecting the same Nigerians. So we are just a blend of each other,” he said.
The proposed framework is expected to strengthen information sharing, technical cooperation, professional training and safety standards between Nigeria’s civil and military aviation authorities.
