SAATM Stagnation: Keyamo, Demuren, Sosina to lead discourse at 2026 SAPTCO lecture

Years after its ambitious launch, Africa’s Single Air Transport Market (SAATM) remains an unrealised dream for many across the continent.

On November 5, 2026, aviation heavyweights will convene in Lagos to confront these bottlenecks head-on during the SAPTCO Annual Lecture.

Serving as both an intellectual roundtable and a capacity-building training program, the lecture will be held at the NCAA Training Suite, MMIA Annex, Ikeja, starting at 11:00 a.m.

Former AFCAC Secretary General, Ms Iyabo O. Sosina—who championed the initial rollout of the SAATM initiative—will deliver the keynote paper.

With her insider perspective on African civil aviation governance, Sosina’s address is expected to outline actionable pathways to overcome the regulatory and political inertia stalling continent-wide air integration.

SAPTCO Managing Consultant, Mr Sam Adurogoboye, described the upcoming conference as a vital intervention point for African air transport policy.

He emphasised that the discourse will re-centre public focus on core principles such as the 1999 Yamoussoukro Decision, traffic freedoms, and open skies.

The high-profile event will feature Olorogun Festus Keyamo, SAN (Hon. Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development); the Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA); Capt. Chris Najomo, former Director-General of NCAA, and Dr Harold Demuren.

The audience will bring together a broad spectrum of transport and logistics leadership, including executive delegates from commercial airlines, federal aviation agencies, NPA, NIMASA, and the aviation press core.

Launched by the African Union in January 2018, SAATM was designed to integrate national airspace, lower prohibitive airfares, foster seamless intra-African trade, and serve as an operational backbone for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Reflecting on the gap between policy vision and practical execution, Adurogoboye noted, “This landmark project is yet to deliver on its promises.

With this lecture, SAPTCO aims to drive the conversation forward so that African aviation can finally reap the benefits of lower operational costs, enhanced connectivity, and shared economic expansion.”

Wole Shadare