Nigeria has reaffirmed its leadership in regional aviation development as it hosted the 18th Plenary and Meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Banjul Accord Group (BAG) of States at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja. The event, which is to hold from May 19th to 21st, 2025, brought together Aviation Ministers, Directors General of Civil Aviation, International Organizations, and key Stakeholders to deliberate on the future of air transport safety, integration, and sustainability in West Africa.
Declaring the event open, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, called for the institutionalization of BAG to enhance regional cooperation and innovation. DGCA, Capt. Chris Najomo echoed this call, highlighting the need for harmonized regulations and infrastructure development.
Senate Committee Chairman on Aviation, Senator Buhari Abdulfatai, represented by Augustine Akobundu, reiterated the National Assembly’s support for BAG’s goals and emphasized policy harmonization and regional collaboration.
Mr. Fansu Bojang, Head of the BAG Secretariat, praised the founding vision of BAG as a catalyst for regional integration through air transport liberalization. He commended regional safety bodies like BAGASOO and BAGAIA but warned that sustainable funding remains a major challenge, urging member states to support efforts for practical financial solutions.
Other notable speakers included AFCAC Secretary General Adefunke Adeyemi, who stressed the urgent need to implement the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), and ECOWAS representative Marieme Sy, who highlighted ongoing aviation security and safety oversight efforts.
The event featured delegates from seven BAG member states—Cabo Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone, alongside Regional and International partners including ICAO, AFCAC, the EU Aviation Safety Agency, and ECOWAS.
