Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has urged aviation industry stakeholders to take it as responsibility to make Nigeria youths embrace aviation and develop their career in the sector.
He said this would ensure a sustained supply of skilled manpower into Nigeria’s aviation sector to address the critical challenges of an aging workforce and potential knowledge gaps.
Keyamo was represented by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Obiageli Orah, during the Grand Finale of the 14th National Travel Essay Competition (NTEC, 2025) and Air Transport Youth Empowerment Seminar held recently in Lagos.
He emphasised the global regulatory nature of the aviation sector, underscoring the necessity for stakeholders to implement measures that continuously attract high-quality human resources.
“Programmes such as this are avenues through which we can breed, nurture, and harvest such human resources,” he stated, commending Travel and Business News for their significant contributions in this area.
NTEC Founder and National Coordinator, Mr. Ewos Iroro, revealed that the initiative, established in 2009, has successfully encouraged young Nigerians to consider careers in aviation, travel, and tourism while fostering greater awareness and support for air transport.
He disclosed that NTEC has already produced numerous young talents now actively contributing to various areas in aviation, citing the recent achievement of a past winner, Miss Adeola Peace, who earned her Masters Degree as an Aeronautical Engineer.
Representative of the Director-General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Chris Najomo, Olubukola Teriba, who is the Regional Manager Lagos, praised the event’s theme for reflecting the shared concerns of young Nigerians aspiring to join the aviation, tourism, and transport industries.
Managing Director of FAAN, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, echoed these sentiments through Mrs. Obiageli Orah, calling NTEC a crucial “breeding ground where many of our young ones have first encounter with the aviation world.”
