Captain Chris Najomo, Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has called for robust private sector involvement in the country's aviation sector through Public Private Partnerships (PPP). Speaking at the inaugural Nigeria Aircraft Acquisition and Investment Summit (NAAIS) 2026 in Lagos, Najomo emphasized that PPPs are critical to bridging Nigeria's infrastructure deficit and driving economic transformation. He noted that aviation is not just about transportation but serves as a catalyst for trade, tourism, investment, and national integration.
Najomo cited Nigeria's low Africa Infrastructure Development Index (AIDI) score of 25.70 and an estimated infrastructure deficit exceeding $2.3 trillion as evidence of underinvestment, with infrastructure stock at only 30% of GDP—far below the global benchmark of 70%. He stressed that public funding alone cannot close this gap. PPPs, he argued, bring efficiency, innovation, and risk-sharing, enabling modern airport infrastructure, better operations, and improved passenger experiences.
The NCAA chief highlighted the importance of regulatory certainty, transparent procurement, and contract enforcement to attract investment. He noted that under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration, no inherited concession agreements have been cancelled or altered. Farouk Ahmed Umar, Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), echoed the sentiment, stating Nigeria is one of Africa's most untapped aviation markets with rising passenger demand and regional connectivity.
Captain Chris Najomo is not the first official to champion PPPs, yet years of similar appeals have done little to move the infrastructure needle. His claim that no concession agreement has been altered under Tinubu may signal stability, but investors are watching actions beyond rhetoric—especially execution. Nigeria's aviation sector remains grounded not by lack of vision, but by the persistent gap between policy pronouncements and tangible delivery. Until contracts translate into operational terminals and functional systems, confidence will remain theoretical.
