Nigeria will sustain investment in aviation safety and security, President Muhammadu Buhari said on Monday.

Mr Buhari made the declaration during his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 14th ICAO Air Services Negotiation event.

The president said Nigeria would achieve this through its ongoing support of the comprehensive regional implementation plan for Aviation Security and the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) plans.

According to him, Nigeria is a signatory to both the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the Memorandum of Implementation (MoI) of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM).

“SAATM is a critical component of the African Union Agenda 2063, aimed at rapid economic development, integration, facilitation of trade and commerce and free movement of persons. Another significant contribution is our hosting of the Headquarters of Banjul Accord Group Aviation Safety Oversight Organisation (BAGASOO),” stated Mr Buhari.

He considered Nigeria a major contributor and participant in Regional Accident Investigation Agency, Banjul Accord Group Accident Investigation Agency (BAGAIA). He noted that the country recently donated to the ICAO voluntary Air Transport Fund to be part of global efforts for recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Nigeria made significant financial contribution to the Safety and HRDF, in addition to hosting several ICAO meetings and regional workshops, including widely acclaimed ICAO World Aviation Forum (IWAF) in 2017 and the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Symposium,” the president told the gathering.

Mr Buhari said Nigeria, as a member of the ICAO council since 1962, had continued to collaborate with other member states in making valuable contributions to the work of the council and its activities.

“One of the fundamental building blocks of the solid partnership between Nigeria and ICAO is our commitment to supporting the implementation of ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices,” he added. “Also, as well as the range of the organisation’s programmes and policies, particularly in the African region.”

Mr Buhari said efforts by Nigeria in the aviation sector had enabled the nation to develop new skills to expand horizons in connecting with the growing number of stakeholders that the country would not have been able to reach before.

The president reiterated that the nation took its commitment seriously to champion the cause of aviation safety, security and facilitation in Africa.

(NAN)