Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke(left) and Chief Festus Keyamo

The strict dichotomy between civil and military aviation has been narrowed, with the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, agreeing to deepen collaboration between the Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in the areas of aviation safety, airworthiness, certification, training and capacity building.

The agreement was reached today when the Aviation Minister paid a condolence visit to the Chief of Air Staff following the tragic Nigerian Air Force aircraft incident at Igbokoda.

The Minister, after signing the condolence register, held a private meeting with the Chief of Air Staff, after which both leaders addressed the media and announced a new framework for closer cooperation between civil and military aviation authorities.

Keyamo expressed deep sympathy to the Nigerian Air Force, describing the incident as a national tragedy and commending the gallantry and sacrifices of the men and women of the Air Force.

“We value the Air Force. We value the efforts of the gallant men and women of the Air Force and what they do for the country,” the Minister said.

He stressed that tragedies within the aviation sector do not distinguish between military and civilian operators, noting that both sectors ultimately serve the same country and protect the same citizens.

According to him, the incident has further strengthened the need for greater cooperation and the sharing of expertise between the two sides.

“It is one country, one people. When disaster happens, it affects everybody. There were civilians in that air crash and when there’s an air crash in the civil aviation too, there can be military personnel. And so, it is important that we cooperate in the area of safety,” Keyamo said.

The Minister noted that the Nigerian Air Force already relies on civil aviation infrastructure, particularly air traffic control, and said the existing relationship should now be expanded into a more structured partnership.

He disclosed that he had already contacted the Director-General of the NCAA and facilitated direct communication between the NCAA leadership and the Chief of Air Staff.

“We have decided that we will cooperate in terms of capacity building,” he said.

Keyamo announced that a joint committee involving the NCAA and the Nigerian Air Force would be established to facilitate collaboration in airworthiness, certification, training and other aviation safety measures, while respecting the statutory mandates of both institutions.

He further assured the Chief of Air Staff that personnel of the Nigerian Air Force would be given access to relevant training opportunities undertaken by the civil aviation authorities.

“There is no reason why we cannot take some names from the Air Force. We have a lot of training we go for, so there is no reason why we cannot,” he said.

The Minister also acknowledged  the Nigerian Air Force possesses specialised expertise that would be beneficial to the civil aviation sector, describing the proposed relationship as a mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and experience.

“This is a kind of cross-pollination and symbiotic relationship we have decided to build for the safety of the lives of Nigerians,” Keyamo stated.

Responding, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, thanked the Minister for the condolence visit and for his continued support for the Nigerian Air Force.

He described the Minister’s gesture as a demonstration of the strong relationship that has developed between the civil and military aviation sectors under his leadership.

The Chief of Air Staff disclosed that both institutions had already commenced discussions on a framework that would enable personnel from the civil aviation sector to contribute to the Air Force’s safety environment, particularly in the areas of airworthiness and certification, while Air Force personnel would also contribute their expertise to the civil aviation sector where required.

“We have both agreed that we need to move the aviation industry, whether military or civil, to a higher level,” Air Marshal Aneke said.

He welcomed the Minister’s offer of training opportunities for Air Force personnel, stressing that the initiative would strengthen capacity and enhance aviation safety across the country.

The Chief of Air Staff emphasised that the two institutions have a shared responsibility to protect Nigerian lives.

“We are serving the same government; we are protecting the same Nigerians. So we are just a blend of each other,” he said.

The new partnership is expected to promote greater information sharing, technical cooperation, professional training and safety collaboration between Nigeria’s civil and military aviation authorities.