Former Director-General, Civil Aviation (DGCA), Musa Nuhu and former Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr Harold Demuren, have confirmed their attendance at the 2026 yearly lecture organised by SAPTCO Communication Limited, with the implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) expected to dominate discussions.

Nuhu, who also served as Nigeria’s representative on the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Council, confirmed his participation in a conversation with the organisers, citing the quality of participants, the guest speaker and the relevance of the lecture’s theme as reasons for his decision.

Demuren, who delivered the inaugural lecture last year, also confirmed his attendance as the Father of the Day, describing his participation as a demonstration of honour and support for the SAPTCO team.

The lecture is expected to bring together aviation professionals, policymakers and other stakeholders to examine the slow implementation of SAATM, a flagship African Union initiative designed to liberalise air transport across the continent.

The programme would be delivered by a former Secretary-General of the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), Ms Iyabo Sosina, who played a key role in advancing the initiative during her tenure at the continental aviation body.

In a statement, SAPTCO’s Managing Consultant, Sam Adurogboye, said the event would provide a platform for stakeholders to examine why the initiative had yet to deliver its expected benefits to African aviation several years after its launch.

The lecture, which would also serve as a training programme, is scheduled for November 5 at the NCAA Training Suite, Annex, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, would attend as Special Guest of Honour, while the current Director-General, Civil Aviation, NCAA, Chris Najomo, is expected as Guest of Honour.

According to Adurogboye, the lecture would seek to refocus African leaders’ attention on the objectives of SAATM, particularly the open-skies policy, the liberalisation of air services and the implementation of the 1999 Yamoussoukro Decision.

However, Adurogboye expressed concern that the initiative had yet to translate into the anticipated level of market integration, despite its promise of improved connectivity, economic growth and lower operating costs.