How Private Jet Operators Have Been Defrauding The Government For About 50 Years – Keyamo

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has accused private jet operators in the country of depriving the government of due revenue for about fifty years.

He also accused the operators of posing significant security risks due to their illegal operations.

Naija News reports that Keyamo made the allegation while speaking at the 2025 ministerial press briefing in Abuja on Thursday.

According to him, some of the operators use their aircraft for illegal or unauthorized charter operations. He added that they also deny the government substantial revenue by registering for Private Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) licenses—which are meant for personal or corporate use—while secretly using their aircraft for commercial charter services.

The Minister explained that these are some of the issues met on the ground when he came on board, and some people even warned him to turn a blind eye because those involved are the high and mighty in Nigeria.

Keyamo, however, disclosed that he is committed to reversing the illegal activities and abuse of licenses as a panel has been set up to review the situation and make recommendations to restore sanity in the sector.

“We inherited a major problem when we assumed office, and we have decided to tackle it head-on: the illegal use of private jets for unauthorized charter operations. These private jets have been operating largely unchecked, doing whatever they like. Beyond that, they also deny the federal government substantial revenue.

“When I came into office, people told me, ‘Minister, don’t bother yourself with this. These are the big men who own Nigeria; you cannot tackle them. Just forget about it.’ But I refused,” he revealed.

Keyamo explained that the federal government has lost approximately ₦100 billion in revenue over the past decade due to illegal charter operations.

He knocked those who register for private licences and then use the aircraft for business purposes.

“These licenses come with significantly different fees. The PNCF license is much cheaper because it is meant for private use—flying company directors, family members, or personal business trips. But if you want to operate commercial flights carrying passengers for a fee, you must obtain a different, more expensive license,” he explained.

Keyamo said some of the operators even use the private jet for international operations without proper flight documentation and manage to evade the system, thus posing a risk in case of any unforeseen eventuality.

According to him, sometimes, regulators are unable to determine the actual passenger manifest or some other contents in the private jets.

“These private jets are being used for business operations daily, defrauding the government of revenue. Even worse, some apply to fly out of the country on charter flights without proper documentation. In many cases, authorities do not even have a full manifest of passengers or what is being transported. This is a serious security threat,” he warned.

Tinubu Has Given Us A Free Hand

The Minister, however, expressed determination to end all illegal practices, saying President Bola Tinubu has given them a free hand to address the issues.

He said a task force has been set up last year, and after six months of investigations, the task force uncovered shocking levels of non-compliance and recommended major reforms.

“At one point, they even suggested shutting down the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), which serves private charter flights, for a complete security overhaul. While we cannot shut down the commercial section, we are reviewing their recommendations to implement necessary reforms without disrupting passenger movement.

“The President has given us a free hand to address this problem. Regardless of who is affected, we will ensure the law is followed,” he declared.