The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has urged EgyptAir to replace its ageing aircraft serving Nigerian routes with newer-generation aircraft.
The disclosure was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister, Tunde Moshood.
Keyamo made the call during a bilateral meeting with Egypt’s Minister of Civil Aviation, Sameh El-Hefny, on the sidelines of the ongoing El-Alamein International Airshow 2026 in Egypt, as Nigeria seeks to strengthen air connectivity and attract greater airline capacity.
Keyamo stressed the need for EgyptAir to move away from the continued deployment of ageing aircraft on its Nigerian routes and prioritise newer-generation aircraft for the Nigerian market.
He said fleet modernisation would help improve passenger experience, operational efficiency and the airline’s competitiveness.
“The Minister also used the engagement to emphasise the need for a stronger and more modern fleet deployment by EgyptAir on its Nigerian routes.”
“He urged the management of EgyptAir to move away from the continued deployment of ageing aircraft and prioritise the introduction of newer-generation aircraft into the Nigerian market, noting that fleet modernisation is essential to improving passenger experience, operational efficiency and the competitiveness of the airline,” the statement read in part.
Keyamo also emphasised the strategic importance of Nigeria-Egypt aviation relations and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to international partnerships that can improve connectivity, stimulate tourism and trade, support airline growth and deliver greater value to passengers.
The discussion on EgyptAir’s fleet formed part of broader talks on strengthening cooperation between the aviation authorities and industry stakeholders of both countries.
Nigeria expressed its readiness to work with the Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation to identify mutually beneficial areas of cooperation, particularly under the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM).
SAATM is aimed at promoting seamless air connectivity across Africa.
El-Hefny welcomed the engagement and reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to strengthening aviation cooperation with Nigeria.
He called for closer collaboration between the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) and the League of Arab Civil Aviation (LACA).
He said stronger cooperation between the two regional aviation bodies could promote partnerships among African and Arab states.
The discussions are expected to support closer institutional and industry-level cooperation between Nigeria and Egypt as both countries seek to strengthen their aviation links, the statement noted.
Keyamo’s call comes as EgyptAir continues to expand its capacity across the African market while beginning to renew its long-haul fleet. The airline ranked third among Africa’s airlines by scheduled seat capacity in September, with 890,773 seats, up 6.7% from 834,956 seats in September 2025, according to OAG data.
EgyptAir took delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 in February 2026 as part of its long-haul fleet-modernisation programme.
The new aircraft provides additional capacity for international operations while supporting the gradual replacement of older aircraft.
Egypt recorded 3.1 million scheduled seats in September, up 13.4% year-on-year, making it Africa’s largest country market.
The airline’s ongoing fleet renewal provides context for Keyamo’s request that newer-generation aircraft also be deployed on its Nigerian routes.
