Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has accused private jet operators of engaging in illegal charter operations for over 40 years, depriving the federal government of revenue and creating significant security risks.
During the 2025 ministerial press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, March 13, Keyamo revealed that a task force set up under his administration uncovered widespread abuse of private jet licenses, resulting in considerable revenue losses for the country.
“We inherited a major issue when we took office, and we are determined to address it head-on: the illegal use of private jets for unauthorized charter operations. These jets have been operating with little oversight, doing as they please. More importantly, they are depriving the government of substantial revenue,” Keyamo stated.
“When I came into office, people advised me to ignore this issue, saying, ‘These are the powerful individuals who control Nigeria; you won’t be able to tackle them. Just forget about it.’ But I refused,” he added.
Keyamo explained that the federal government has lost nearly ₦100 billion in revenue over the past decade due to these illegal charter operations.
He went on to detail how private jet owners avoid higher fees by acquiring Private Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) licenses, which are intended for personal or corporate use, while covertly using their aircraft for commercial charter services.
“These licenses come with significantly lower fees because they are meant for private use—such as flying company executives, family members, or for personal trips. However, if you want to operate commercial flights carrying paying passengers, a different, more expensive license is required,” he explained.
“These private jets are being used for commercial purposes every day, defrauding the government of revenue. Worse still, some operators arrange international charter flights without proper documentation. Often, authorities don’t even have a complete list of passengers or what’s being transported. This poses a serious security threat,” Keyamo warned.
“At one point, there were even suggestions to shut down the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), which serves private charter flights, for a complete security overhaul. While we cannot close the commercial section, we are reviewing those suggestions to implement necessary reforms without disrupting passenger movement,” he noted.
“The President has given us full support to tackle this issue. No matter who is involved, we will ensure that the law is enforced,” Keyamo affirmed.
