Keyamo Exposes 40Yrs illegality By Private Jet Operations
Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has accused private jet operators of engaging in illegal charter operations for over four decades, defrauding the federal government and posing serious security risks.
Speaking at the 2025 ministerial press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, Keyamo disclosed that a task force set up under his administration discovered extensive abuse of private jet licenses, leading to massive revenue losses for the country.
“We inherited a major problem when we assumed office, and we have decided to tackle it head-on: the illegal use of private jets for unauthorized charter operations. These private jets have been operating largely unchecked, doing whatever they like. Beyond that, they also deny the federal government substantial revenue,” Keyamo stated.
The minister emphasized that this illegal practice has persisted for nearly 50 years, with many influential figures advising him against addressing the issue.
“When I came into office, people told me, ‘Minister, don’t bother yourself with this. These are the big men who own Nigeria; you cannot tackle them. Just forget about it.’ But I refused,” he revealed.
Keyamo explained that the federal government has lost approximately ₦100 billion in revenue over the past decade due to illegal charter operations.
He detailed how private jet owners evade higher fees by obtaining Private Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) licenses—which are meant for personal or corporate use—while secretly using their aircraft for commercial charter services.
“These licenses come with significantly different fees. The PNCF license is much cheaper because it is meant for private use—flying company directors, family members, or personal business trips. But if you want to operate commercial flights carrying passengers for a fee, you must obtain a different, more expensive license,” he explained.
Beyond financial losses, Keyamo highlighted the grave security risks posed by these unregulated private jet operations.
“These private jets are being used for business operations daily, defrauding the government of revenue. Even worse, some apply to fly out of the country on charter flights without proper documentation. In many cases, authorities do not even have a full manifest of passengers or what is being transported. This is a serious security threat,” he warned.
He cited past incidents where authorities struggled to identify passengers involved in private jet accidents due to poor documentation practices.
Determined to put an end to the practice, Keyamo set up a task force last year. After six months of investigations, the task force uncovered shocking levels of non-compliance and recommended major reforms.
“At one point, they even suggested shutting down the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), which serves private charter flights, for a complete security overhaul. While we cannot shut down the commercial section, we are reviewing their recommendations to implement necessary reforms without disrupting passenger movement,” he stated.
Keyamo assured Nigerians that the government remains committed to enforcing aviation regulations, regardless of who is involved.
“The President has given us a free hand to address this problem. Regardless of who is affected, we will ensure the law is followed,” he declared.
