The former Nigerian representative in the International Civil Aviation Organization [ICAO] Council and Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority [NCAA], Capt. Musa Shuaibu Nuhu has confirmed his attendance at this year SAPTCO Communication Limited annual Lecture.
Capt. Nuhu who gave the confirmation in a telephone conversation from his base on Wednesday, stated that the quality of people billed for the event, especially the guest speaker, whom he described as a sister and the theme informed his decision to attend.
Similarly, the father of the day, who also delivered the inaugural lecture last year, Dr Harold Olusegun Demuren, also confirmed that he would be in attendance as a mark of honour and regards to SAPTCO team.
The organisers had earlier announced that the highly anticipated unity in Africa’s air transport market will take the center stage as some of the respected minds in African aviation gather in Lagos for the 2026 SAPTCO Annual Lecture.
Specifically, the lecture will focus on the Single African Air Transport Market [SAATM] among other strategic topics.
This year’s lecture will be delivered by Ms. Iyabo O. Sosina, a former Secretary General of Africa Civil Aviation Commission [AFCAC], who was instrumental to the launching of the project during her tenure in the August body.
A statement by SAPTCO managing consultant, Mr. Sam Adurogboye said the gathering promises to be a watershed event to brainstorm on a subject that does not seem to have lived up to its billing.
Adurogboye said the lecture, which doubles as a training programme, will be held on November 5th, at 11.00am at the NCAA Training Suite, Annex, Murtala Muhammed International Airport [MMIA] Ikeja, Lagos.
The Honorable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Barrister Festus Keyamo, will be a Special Guest of Honour while the Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority [NCAA], Capt. Chris Najomo will be a Guest of Honour at the lecture.
Other distinguished guests and stakeholders will be from Airlines, Nigeria Port Authority [NPA], Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency [NIMASA], Aviation Agencies, as well as the Aviation Media practitioners. The former DG, NCAA Dr Harold Demuren delivered the inaugural SAPTCO Lecture last year. He is being expected as the father of the day at the occasion.
According to Mr. Adurogboye, this year’s lecture would help to redirect African leaders attention to the goals of SAATM which includes Open Skies Policy, Traffic Freedoms and the long standing 1999 Yamoussoukro Decision.
Launched in January 2018, SAATM is an African Union project designed to create a single, unified civil aviation market across Africa.
Adurogboye explained that the initiative works to open up the continent’s skies, lower air fares, and increase intra African trave and trade as well as serve as a major building block for the broader African Continental Free Trade Area [AfCFTA].
Speaking further, the SAPTCO managing consultant said,’’ unfortunately, this laudable programme is yet to be translated into reality years after it was conceptualized and launched, expressing the hope that with the Lecture as a catalyst for, ‘’ effective implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market [SAATM] would lead to better connectivity, economic growth and lower costs of operations and many more benefits to the continent of Africa”.
