The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced plans to partner with the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development to host Nigeria’s first-ever International Airshow in Abuja, a landmark event expected to attract major global aviation industry players.
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike made the commitment on Wednesday when he received a delegation from the Aviation Ministry, led by Minister Festus Keyamo (SAN), in his Abuja office.
Wike, who congratulated the Aviation Ministry for bringing the airshow to the Federal Capital, described it as not just an aviation milestone but a tourism and investment magnet for Abuja, similar to globally recognized events like the Paris Air Show and the Farnborough Airshow.
“This is a major event that will put Abuja on the global aviation and tourism map,” Wike said, pledging the FCTA’s full backing to ensure the success of the historic occasion.
According to the Minister, the administration will provide transportation logistics, including train services and CNG-powered buses, to move participants, diplomats, and visitors across the city during the airshow. He also directed FCTA-owned media outlets to provide extensive publicity for the event.
Wike further disclosed that relevant departments would be deployed to manage security and sanitation, particularly along the Airport Road corridor, adding that the city’s beautification drive ahead of the airshow had already commenced.
On venue logistics, the FCT Minister said the Ahmed Bola Tinubu International Conference Centre would be made available at a discounted rate, in line with the President’s directive on prudent revenue generation. However, he stressed that the use of billboards for advertising must be coordinated with the Department of Outdoor Advertising and Signage (DOAS), noting that such services would not be free.
“We would do everything possible to see that it is a huge success,” Wike affirmed.
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Earlier, Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo said the forthcoming airshow would serve as a global event and form part of activities marking 100 years of aviation in Nigeria.
He noted that countries around the world boast signature aviation shows that draw global attention, from Farnborough in the UK to Paris in France but Nigeria had never hosted one in its history.
“Around the world, a major aviation event on most countries’ calendars is their airshow… we have never had one in our history,” Keyamo said.
According to him, the Nigeria International Airshow will be organized in partnership with a private company and supported by the Nigerian Air Force, attracting international aviation firms to showcase technology, innovation, and aircraft in Abuja.
Keyamo also invited Wike to serve as the Chief Host at the opening ceremony, alongside President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, when the event officially kicks off in December 2025.
