The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has directed foreign airlines plying the airways of Nigeria to patronize Nigerian caterers in all their operations.
This directive is coming barely five months after the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, at a forum in May in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, urging foreign airline operatives to patronize local content, specifically Nigeria’s catering services.
The minister pointed out that the directive has been consistent with the principles of reciprocity outlined in the Bilateral Air Services Agreement signed that is aimed towards boosting Nigeria’s local and thriving economy.
This was made available to the public via an internal memo exclusively obtained by journalists on Tuesday, today the 16th of October in Abuja.
Looking closely at the memo, the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development directed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority to carry out the minister’s directive to the foreign airlines, explaining that enforcement will take place from January 1, 2025.
The memo, openly dated October 15, 2024, was signed by H.E Ejibunu, who is a director overseeing the office of the Permanent Secretary of the ministry.
The memo read thus : “l am directed by the Minister of Aviation to convey to you his decision to mandate all outbound flights from Nigeria, especially foreign airlines to patronize local caterers for onboard meals. Directive of the minister to foreign airlines on onboard meals 2’’
“Consequently, you are hereby directed to convey the decision to all foreign airlines for strict compliance beginning from January 1, 2025. Thank you”.
When responding journalists in a media chat, President of the Association of Foreign Airlines in Nigeria, Kingsley Nwokoma, described the directive as a welcome development, saying that foreign airlines were already lifting onboarding foods from NCAA-approved food vendors who already have the capacity to deliver.
He further stressed that : “Maybe the directive was just for emphasis because most foreign airlines have already been lifting food from our local NCAA-approved food vendors’’
“If you ask the local airlines, they will attest to this but either way, this is a welcome development, and just like I said earlier foreign airlines are already doing as directed to promote our own local delicacies and content.”
