Nigeria has received a 20-year Civil Aviation Master Plan (CAMP) from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), covering the period 2025 to 2045, to guide the transformation of the country’s aviation sector.
The document was presented in Marrakech during the ICAO Global Implementation Support Symposium, according to a statement issued on Tuesday by Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
The master plan was formally handed over to the Minister, Festus Keyamo, during the opening session of the global event.
It is expected to serve as a long-term roadmap for modernising Nigeria’s aviation industry by aligning infrastructure upgrades, safety systems, workforce development, and investment priorities with global aviation standards.
What they are saying
According to the statement, the Civil Aviation Master Plan was developed with technical support from ICAO and structured as a 20-year framework aimed at repositioning Nigeria’s aviation sector.
Work on the plan began in September 2024 under ICAO’s Capacity Development and Implementation unit, following the Minister’s approval. It also included a comprehensive training programme on civil aviation master planning involving key stakeholders across Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem.
- “The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, CON, has officially received Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Master Plan (CAMP) from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) during the opening session of the ICAO Global Implementation Support Symposium (GISS) in Marrakech, Morocco today, the 14th of April, 2026,” the statement read.
- “The CAMP, which spans a 20-year period (2025–2045), is strategically aligned with Nigeria’s National Development Plan and other key policy frameworks, ensuring coherence with the Federal Government’s broader economic and infrastructural objectives.”
The plan is designed to provide a structured framework for long-term sector development and policy alignment.
More insights
The statement outlined key pillars of the master plan, including infrastructure and technology upgrades aimed at modernising airport facilities to accommodate rising passenger and cargo traffic.
- It also includes the integration of advanced systems such as unmanned aerial systems.
- Other priorities include strengthening safety and security standards to maintain a zero-fatality aviation environment in line with international requirements, as well as promoting the development of airports into aerotropolis hubs to drive economic activity and job creation.
Additional focus areas include sustainability and innovation, human capital development, expansion of Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities, cargo terminal development, private sector participation, and alignment with global green aviation initiatives.
Get up to speed
Just days earlier, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development approved the rollout of a biometric passenger identity verification system known as VPASS across domestic airports to improve security and passenger identification.
- Keyamo said the system will use contactless biometrics to close identification gaps and will later extend to private aviation, with deployment handled by VERXID Technologies Limited and supported by a nationwide awareness campaign.
- The move follows earlier plans to deploy electronic gates (e-gates) at major international airports to speed up immigration clearance.
The e-gates are designed to process passengers in under 30 seconds where documents are valid. Eight were installed in Abuja as of June 2024, with 21 planned for Lagos.
Additional installations were targeted for Kano, Enugu, and Port Harcourt, bringing the total planned deployment to 41 across five airports, though rollout is still incomplete, according to FAAN sources.
What you should know
Nigeria’s aviation sector has seen a series of regulatory, infrastructure, and private sector developments in recent years aimed at improving safety, financing access, and operational efficiency.
- In 2024, Nigeria exited the Aviation Working Group (AWG) watchlist after scoring 75.5% on the Cape Town Convention Compliance Index, improving aircraft leasing confidence for local airlines.
- The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority strengthened aircraft leasing enforcement through Advisory Circular NCAA-AC-AWS001A, focused on IDERA compliance and registration procedures.
- In 2025, the Federal Government approved N987 billion for aviation infrastructure projects, including major upgrades across key airports nationwide.
- Of this, N712.26 billion was allocated to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) redevelopment, covering terminal reconstruction, apron expansion, and related upgrades.
The MMIA project includes rebuilding Terminal One, expanding Terminal Two, adding access roads, and integrating smart airport systems under a 22-month timeline.
Ongoing infrastructure expansion also includes Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) developments, with projects underway by Air Peace, Ibom Air, and other private operators to strengthen local aircraft servicing capacity.
