Travel News

By Olasunkanmi Akinlotan

The Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development has directed foreign airlines flying in Nigeria to patronise Nigerian caterers.

This directive is coming barely five months after the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, at a forum in May in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, appealed to foreign airlines to patronise local content, specifically Nigeria’s catering service.

The minister believes that the directive is consistent with the principles of reciprocity outlined in the Bilateral Air Services Agreement that aims to boost Nigeria’s local economy.

This was contained in an internal memo exclusively obtained by our correspondent on Tuesday, in Abuja.

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The memo from the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development directed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority to convey the minister’s directive to the foreign airlines, adding that enforcement will commence from January 1, 2025.

The memo, dated October 15, 2024, was signed by H.E Ejibunu, a director overseeing the office of the Permanent Secretary of the ministry.

The memo reads, “l am directed by the Minister of Aviation to convey to you his decision to mandate all outbound flights from Nigeria, especially foreign airlines to patronise local caterers for onboard meals. Directive of the minister to foreign airlines on onboard meals 2.

“Consequently, you are hereby directed to convey the decision to all foreign airlines for strict compliance beginning from January 1, 2025. Thank you.”

When contacted to speak on the development, President of the Association of Foreign Airlines in Nigeria, Kingsley Nwokoma, described the directive as a welcome development, adding that foreign airlines were already lifting onboarding foods from NCAA-approved food vendors.

Nwokoma stressed that “Maybe the directive was just for emphasis because most foreign airlines have already been lifting food from our local NCAA-approved food vendors.

“If you ask the local airlines, they will attest to this but either way, this is a welcome development, and just like I said earlier foreign airlines are already doing as directed to promote our own local delicacies and contents.”