Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo, has signed a landmark agreement with Cameroon to coordinate emergency search and rescue efforts for aircraft in distress, in a move hailed as vital for saving lives across West and Central Africa.
Accompanied by Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority director, Captain Chris Najomo, Keyamo met Cameroon’s Transport Minister, Jean Ernest Ngallé Bibehe, and senior aviation officials in Yaoundé.
The technical aeronautical search and rescue (SAR) pact enhances joint operations between the countries’ rescue centres, including improved communication protocols, shared missions and faster responses within their respective search zones.
Keyamo described the deal as a cornerstone of President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda”, emphasising its moral weight.
“Search and rescue cooperation is not simply a regulatory requirement under ICAO Annex 12,” he said.
“It is a humanitarian imperative and a moral responsibility.”
Borders, he added, should pose no obstacle in crises:
“In moments of distress, response time saves lives. Today, Nigeria and Cameroon demonstrate that cooperation—not fragmentation—defines our regional approach to aviation safety.”
Cameroon’s Minister echoed the need for ICAO-compliant collaboration, while Minister Keyamo praised officials from both nations for their professionalism.
The agreement is seen as a model of African solidarity, bolstering safety for the region’s growing air traffic.
