Fed Govt Unveils N10bn Aviation Catering Facility At Abuja Airport

The minister of aviation and aerospace development, Festus Keyamo, has unveiled a N10 billion aviation catering facility at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

He said the federal government’s policy requiring foreign airlines operating in Nigeria to engage local catering companies for outbound flights has helped attract the investment into the country’s aviation sector.

Keyamo said the policy had compelled all foreign airlines operating in Nigeria to sign contracts with local in-flight catering companies, creating opportunities for domestic businesses and reducing the practice of airlines bringing meals from abroad for their return journeys.

The minister spoke at the inauguration of a new in-flight catering facility operated by Sky Chefs, a joint venture involving Nigerian company Sky Chefs Things Remembered and Germany’s LSG Group, in Abuja.

According to him, the facility represents an example of how government policies can stimulate private-sector investment without direct public funding.

Keyamo disclosed that the company had invested close to N10 billion in the facility, which he said would contribute to the development of Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem.

“When we came on board, we saw that Sky Catering was one of the areas within the aviation sector that was grossly neglected in terms of policy direction,” he said.

The minister explained that stakeholders in the local catering industry had complained that foreign airlines were bringing meals into Nigeria for their outbound flights rather than sourcing them locally.

He said the practice denied Nigerian catering companies business opportunities despite the availability of facilities capable of meeting airlines’ requirements.

response, Keyamo said he directed the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to ensure that foreign airlines signed agreements with local caterers.

He added that he used his authority over the approval of international airlines’ flight schedules to enforce compliance.

“I will not sign any schedule of any international flight until I see a contract you have signed with a local caterer,” the minister said.

According to him, the airlines were given six months to comply, with all foreign carriers eventually signing agreements with local catering companies.

“I am happy to tell you today that there is no foreign airline, not one in Nigeria, that has not signed a contract with local catering facilities for them to cater for the outbound flight,” he said.

Keyamo linked the initiative to President Bola Tinubu’s ambition of growing Nigeria’s economy to $1trillion by 2030, arguing that the aviation industry must contribute to the broader economic target by expanding local production and services.

He said government policy could play a significant role in private-sector growth, noting that public authorities did not necessarily have to invest directly in businesses to support their expansion.

“Government does not need to put money. But government policy alone can contribute as much as 80 per cent to the growth of the private sector,” he said.

The minister added that the administration had focused on policy interventions aimed at improving opportunities across the aviation value chain.

He also pointed to the emergence and expansion of domestic airlines, including Enugu Air and new operators linked to other states, as evidence of growing participation in the sector.

However, he maintained that expanding capacity and encouraging competition were necessary to support the industry’s development.

Speaking at the event, chairman of Sky Chefs and Things Remembered, Mrs Adeola Omikunle said the Abuja facility marked a major milestone in the company’s expansion plans.

She disclosed that the company had inaugurated its first facility at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos more than eight years ago, with the Abuja project forming part of its long-term strategy to serve the changing needs of international airlines.

Chairman of Sky Chefs Things Remembered, Mrs Adeola Omikunle and the Minister of Aviation And Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo speaking to journalists at the event in Abuja

Omikunle said the establishment of the Abuja facility had required years of planning and perseverance, with the COVID-19 pandemic and other delays posing challenges to the project.

She also disclosed that the joint venture’s investments in its Lagos and Abuja operations amounted to just under $20 million.

Omikunle said the new facility reflected the company’s confidence in Nigeria’s aviation market and its commitment to expanding local in-flight catering services.

While speaking, president of the Aviation Safety Roundtable Initiative, Air Commodore Ademola Onitiju, described the inauguration as a positive development for the aviation industry.

Onitiju said the organisation, comprising aviation professionals from different segments of the industry, supported policies that promoted standards, safety and sustainable growth.

He commended Keyamo for policies aimed at encouraging industry expansion but urged the minister to do more to address challenges affecting different segments of Nigerian aviation.