The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has defended his directive requiring foreign carriers to use local caterers for on-board meals starting January 1, 2025. In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), Keyamo criticized the current practice of foreign airlines serving warmed meals on outbound flights to Nigerians, deeming it unacceptable.
Keyamo emphasized that foreign airlines should not benefit at the expense of Nigeria’s economy. He stated, “This is to clarify that directing foreign airlines on outbound flights to patronise our local caterers is not the same thing as directing them to serve local dishes. Our local caterers can also prepare continental dishes or any cuisine according to their specifications.”
He expressed discontent with the long-standing practice of airlines bringing frozen meals from their countries, only to warm and serve them on flights, particularly to Nigerian citizens. Keyamo reassured that Nigeria has quality control agencies in place to ensure the hygiene and quality of meals prepared by local caterers, addressing any concerns foreign airlines may have about food safety.
Furthermore, he argued that if foreign carriers expect Nigeria to trust the quality of the food they import, they should also trust the vetting process for meals made by local caterers. Keyamo stressed the importance of supporting local businesses, stating, “The bottom line is that we must support our local businesses with our huge population and traffic, but other caterers from other climes should not benefit from what should essentially be to the benefit of our local economy.”
