Captain Musa Nuhu, the Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), emphasized Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to the complete liberalization of the Yamoussoukro Decision (YD) within the framework of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). He made this statement during a workshop on African Aviation Market Integration held in Abuja on Monday, themed ‘African Wants to Fly.’ Nuhu highlighted the uniqueness of the theme, which celebrates the soaring aspirations and limitless potential of the African continent in the aviation world,leadership report.
SAATM serves as a catalyst for the effective implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement by facilitating the movement of people and goods across the continent. Nuhu, addressing the event, stated, “This year’s Yamoussoukro Decision (YD) Week will afford states the opportunity to identify the status of implementation of the YD/SAATM while encouraging member states and all partners to join hands in the implementation of SAATM.”
He expressed hope that the week would inspire member states that have not yet joined SAATM to do so without conditions, facilitating the accelerated implementation of this initiative. Nuhu praised the presence of high-level personalities at the event, emphasizing their role in highlighting the importance of the SAATM initiative for the growth and development of air transport in Africa.
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Adefunke Adeyemi, the Secretary-General of the Africa Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), also spoke at the workshop, stating that it was the fifth in a series organized by the African Union Commission (AUC) and AFCAC. The workshop aimed to create awareness and disseminate key continental aviation frameworks, focusing on the Yamoussoukro Decision Regulatory and Institutional Texts, the African Civil Aviation Policy (AFCAP), and capacity building for Member States and Regional Economic Communities (RECs). Adeyemi highlighted that the workshop provided an opportunity to discuss the content of SAATM regulatory instruments, share state experiences, and receive perspectives from key partners on strategies for accelerated SAATM implementation.
