The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has been honoured with the prestigious “Minister of the Decade” award by Thisday Times as part of its centenary celebration.
The award was presented to the Minister at the THISDAY Dome in Abuja during the Thisday Times @100 Times Heroes Awards, which recognised distinguished Nigerians for their contributions to national development and public service.
Keyamo was recognised for his leadership and contributions to the transformation of Nigeria’s aviation and aerospace sector, particularly in the areas of human capacity development, aviation safety, infrastructure, investment and international connectivity.
The Minister was accompanied to the event by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, as well as heads of agencies under the Ministry, including the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the African Aviation and Aerospace University, AAAU, Abuja, Dr Mustapha Sheikh Abdullahi.
Reacting to the recognition, the Acting Vice-Chancellor said he was not surprised by the award, describing the Minister as a performer committed to competent delivery, measurable results and sustainable development.
Dr Sheikh Abdullahi said the rapid progress recorded by AAAU reflects the Minister’s commitment to sustainable human capital development and his belief that institutions can only deliver effectively when built around competence, professionalism and the right personnel.
He said the Minister’s commitment had contributed significantly to the advancement of AAAU and its emergence as a specialised institution for aviation and aerospace education.
In his remarks, Minister Keyamo dedicated the award to the Chief Executive Officers of aviation agencies, staff of the Ministry and stakeholders across the aviation industry.
He acknowledged their collective contributions to the progress recorded in Nigeria’s aviation and aerospace sector.