Kasim Smaina of Abuja
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Burr. Festus Keyamo is currently in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. This is a practical visit that I attended as one of the special guests of the 8th Africa Ireland Trade Horizon Conference.
The annual event will convene leaders from Africa and Ireland to deepen bilateral relations and promote mutually beneficial trade and development partnerships.
At the scheduled address at the conference, Keyamo is expected to highlight Nigeria's commitment to strengthening strategic international alliances in aviation, infrastructure development and skills advancements, particularly in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's new aspiration agenda.
In the sidelines of the conference, Kiamo accompanied by Mrs. Ibiemi Agiboe Roberts, accused of the Nigerian Embassy in Ireland, received a technical visit to the Newcastle Aerom School of Aviation in Wicklow County, Dublin.
The delegation was received by the facility's CEO, John Nugent.
During the tour, he inspected an impressive fleet of the school's Viper SD4 trainer aircraft, simulation labs, classrooms and maintenance hangars.
Discussions between the Nigerian delegation and school management focused on developing strategic collaborations between the Newcastle Aerodrome and the Nigerian University of Aviation and Technology (NCAT).
Other important areas of the proposed partnership include the joint development of aviation training curriculum tailored to modern global standards, the launch of a joint pilot licensing program between Ireland and Nigeria, and the development of auxiliary skills in aviation engineering and air traffic management to meet the growing aviation human resources needs in Nigeria.
He expressed his gratitude for his warm acceptance and praised the institution's track record in aviation training.
He reaffirmed Nigeria's openness to partnerships that strengthen domestic capabilities and boost local aviation value chains.
The visit further reflects the ministries' unwavering commitment to relocating Nigeria as a hub of Africa's aviation excellence through innovation, international cooperation and capacity development.
