The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, reached an agreement on Wednesday to expand cooperation between civil and military aviation bodies after the Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash at Igbokoda, Ondo State, with the aim of boosting safety, airworthiness, certification, training and capacity building.
**What triggered the new partnership?**
Keyamo visited the Air Marshal to offer condolences and used the meeting to highlight that the tragedy underscored the necessity for tighter coordination between the two sectors. He noted that both civilian and military lives are affected when an air disaster occurs, stressing that “it is one country, one people.”
**Which agencies will work together?**
The two leaders resolved to formalise collaboration between the [Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority](https://ncaa.gov.ng) and the [Nigerian Air Force](https://na.gov.ng). A joint committee will be set up to address airworthiness, certification, training and other safety measures while respecting each body’s statutory mandate.
**How will training and capacity building be handled?**
Keyamo announced that Air Force personnel will gain access to civil‑aviation training programmes, describing the arrangement as a “cross‑pollination and symbiotic relationship” that will benefit the safety of all Nigerians. He added that there is no reason why qualified Air Force members cannot be enrolled in existing civil‑aviation courses.
**What did the Air Marshal say about the agreement?**
Air Marshal Aneke thanked the minister for his condolence visit and affirmed that both institutions have agreed to elevate aviation safety standards. He stated, “We have both agreed that we need to move the aviation industry, whether military or civil, to a higher level.”
**What is the broader significance?**
The Chief of Air Staff emphasized that the collaboration will allow expertise from both sectors to be shared, noting, “We are serving the same government; we are protecting the same Nigerians. So we are just a blend of each other.”