Not a new thing to many Nigerians as 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, March 13, 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.
“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.