Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has directed all Nigerian airlines to give serving military personnel priority boarding ahead of first and business class passengers.
Keyamo made the announcement on Tuesday in Abuja during a stakeholder meeting on preparations for Nigeria’s aviation centenary celebration and the inaugural Nigerian International Air Show, slated for December 2 to 4, 2025.
Explaining the reason behind the new policy, the minister said the move was to honour the sacrifices and dedication of the Nigerian armed forces, noting that similar practices exist in other countries.
“This is what is done in other countries, and it is not a bad thing to emulate. It is the least we can do to recognise our serving military personnel,” Keyamo said.
The ministry’s permanent secretary, Ibrahim Kana, lauded the initiative as “brilliant and symbolic,” saying it would be immediately communicated to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for implementation. He added that the directive would serve as a visible sign of national appreciation for the military’s commitment to protecting the country.
Earlier in April, Air Peace, Nigeria’s flag carrier, had introduced a boarding order that prioritises military personnel, passengers with special needs, and business class travellers—an approach now expected to be adopted across all domestic airlines under the new directive.
Melissa Enoch
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