The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has called for support for private sector participation in a bid to grow the nation’s economy.

Keyamo canvassed this support on Sunday in Abuja at the inaugural flight of Air Peace from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, to Heathrow, London.

Air Peace on Sunday commenced direct flight services from Abuja to London, making the airline the first Nigerian airline to do so.

Also, the airline is operating direct flight services from its base at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, to London Gatwick.

A statement on Sunday by Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the minister, said that Keyamo insisted that without the private sector, the nation’s economy would nosedive.

Keyamo reiterated the government’s support for private operators, not just in the industry, but in the country as a whole.

He said: “If you destroy the private sector in your country, you destroy the country. Every good economy thrives on the wealth and wellbeing of the private sector — the greatest employer of labour and engine of growth. We have done all we can within our powers to give our local operators the muscle and leverage for fair competition.

“International airlines have been coming to Nigeria for nearly 90 years on some routes, lifting passengers back and forth without our operators fully participating. Under our BASAs we had rights too — but no capacity, no access, no slot at Heathrow. Today that changes.”

The minister attributed the success of the inaugural flight to the mandate from President Bola Tinubu, which stipulated total support for indigenous carriers in order for the sector to thrive and survive.

He regretted the mortality rate of over 100 indigenous airlines in the last 40 years, insisting many of them were due to lack of government support.

“Concord, Belview, Sosoliso, Chanchangi, name them. So, we had a clear mandate to ensure that we support the growth, sustenance and competitiveness of our local operators,” he added.

Earlier, the Chairman of Air Peace, Dr Allen Onyema, in his speech, lauded the minister’s bold intervention in the sector.

He specifically mentioned the removal of the Customs’ 4 per cent Free On Board (FOB) charge import duty for aviation operators as one of the achievements of the minister.

“When the government is listening to the yearnings and aspirations of the people, the complaints and challenges of the people, this is what we need. When Nigerian helicopter-airline owners cried to the minister about a certain charge, he removed it on the spot to make life very simple for these airlines.

“So, it’s not just about Air Peace. Unless every airline in this country speaks up for what this regime has done for them.”

Keyamo led the contingent to the inaugural flight in London.