The Government of Nigeria has unveiled innovative measures to enhance the quality of service and operational excellence at Nigeria’s airports.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo launched the initiative and said the Ministry plans to launch voluntary Special Airport Marshals, a program aimed at improving service delivery and environmental conditions. The proactive approach underscores the Ministry’s dedication to improving Nigeria’s aviation sector and addressing the expectations of the traveling public.
Roles
Role of Special Airport Marshals will include; composed of individuals from NGOs, media professionals, and representatives of state governors, conduct unscheduled visits to airports to evaluate hygiene, service quality, and staff professionalism, report findings directly to the Minister of Aviation, bypassing traditional channels to enhance transparency.
Findings from the Marshals will guide the Minister’s directives to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). Monthly airport maintenance budgets and allocations will be scrutinized against performance reports from these Marshals.
The Minister, alongside senior officials and legislative representatives, will conduct unscheduled monthly inspections of airports across the country. These visits aim to observe operations firsthand, interact with staff, address their grievances, and promote punctuality and professionalism.
The names of the Special Airport Marshals will be publicly disclosed to ensure accountability. Stakeholders will be consulted in the selection process to ensure credible and committed individuals are appointed.
The key objectives of the initiative are to; elevate service delivery to meet the expectations of travelers, hold airport managers accountable for their responsibilities, ensuring better use of resources and to demonstrate commitment to professionalism through direct ministerial involvement in inspections.