Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has directed all Nigerian airlines to grant serving military personnel priority boarding ahead of first and business class passengers.
Keyamo announced the directive on Tuesday in Abuja during a stakeholders’ meeting on preparations for Nigeria’s aviation centenary celebration and the inaugural Nigerian International Air Show, scheduled for December 2–4, 2025.
Explaining the rationale behind the policy, the minister said it was a gesture to honour the sacrifices and dedication of Nigeria’s armed forces, noting that similar practices are observed in several 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 stated.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Ibrahim Kana, described the policy as “brilliant and symbolic,” adding that it would be communicated to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for immediate implementation. He said the measure would serve as a visible sign of national appreciation for the military’s role in safeguarding the country.
In a similar move earlier this year, Air Peace, Nigeria’s flag carrier, had introduced a boarding policy that gives priority to military personnel, passengers with special needs, and business class travellers a system now expected to be adopted across all domestic airlines under the new directive.
