By Stanley Onyekwere
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has pledged to partner with the Ministry of Aviation to host Nigeria’s first-ever international Airshow in Abuja, a landmark event set to attract global aviation powerhouses.
FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, made the commitment in Abuja yesterday, when he received a delegation from the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development led by the Minister, Festus Keyamo.
Wike, who congratulated the Aviation Ministry for bringing the airshow to Abuja, officially recognized it as a major tourist event for the capital city, as seen in other parts of the world
He pledged the FCTA’s comprehensive support to ensure the Airshow’s success, confirming that the FCTA will officially witness and endorse the show.
This was disclosed in a statement by Assistant Director, Press (Office of the Hon. Minister), Rabi Musa Umar.
The minister assured that the FCTA will provide transportation logistics support in terms of train services and CNG buses for moving diplomats and passengers around the city, and further directed the provision of extensive publicity for the event by FCTA-owned media outlets.
He also assured that relevant departments will be deployed to handle event security and general city sanitation, particularly along the Airport Road, a responsibility the Minister noted was ongoing.
Regarding the use of the Ahmed Bola Tinubu International Conference Centre as venue for the event, the minister offered to provide a discount in line with the President’s directive on revenue generation, while noting that the use of billboards must be coordinated with the Outdoor Advertising Agency (DOAS), which he said will not be free.
He expressed confidence that the FCT Administration would work seamlessly with the Aviation Ministry to ensure the success of the historic international Airshow in Abuja.
“We would do everything possible to see that it is a huge success”, he assured.
Earlier, the Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, informed the FCT Minister that the Airshow would be a global event and a major highlight of the 100-year celebration of aviation in Nigeria.
He said: “Around the world, a major aviation event on most countries’ calendars is their air show. We have the Farnborough Airshow, we have the Paris Air Show… we have never had one in our history”.
Keyamo noted that the event was being organized in partnership with a private company and was supported by the Nigerian Air Force.
He stated that the courtesy visit was to officially inform the FCT Minister of the event, which is expected to bring major aviation powerhouses from around the world to Abuja, to display their wares and interact with the Nigerian aviation ecosystem in December, 2025.
