The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), has defended his directive to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) that foreign airlines operating in Nigeria must use local caterers for in-flight meals starting January 1, 2025.
Keyamo said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter) that it is no longer acceptable for foreign airlines to serve reheated meals to Nigerian passengers on outbound flights.
The minister said this change is necessary to boost Nigeria’s economy by supporting local businesses.
He said: “This is to clarify that directing foreign airlines on outbound flights to patronize our local caterers is not the same as instructing them to serve local dishes.
“Our local caterers can also prepare continental dishes or any meals as per the airlines’ specifications.
“The age-old practice of bringing frozen meals from their countries and then warming and serving them on outbound flights, predominantly to our own citizens, is no longer acceptable.”
Addressing concerns about food safety, Keyamo assured that Nigeria has robust quality control agencies capable of ensuring the hygiene and safety of meals prepared by local caterers.
He further emphasized the need for mutual trust between Nigeria and foreign airlines, stating, “If they expect us to trust the quality of food they bring to our country to serve our citizens, then they should also trust the process we have for vetting meals prepared by our local caterers.”
Underscoring the importance of supporting local businesses, he said: “With our huge population and traffic, it is essential that other caterers from different regions do not benefit from opportunities that should contribute to our local economy.”
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