Festus Keyamo – Politics
| Stage Name: | Festus Keyamo |
| Real Name: | Festus Egwarewa Keyamo |
| Occupation: | Politician |
| Date Of Birth/Age: | 21st January 1970 (55 years) |
| State of Origin: | Delta State, Nigeria |
| Gender: | Male |
| Nationality: | Nigerian |
| Marital Status: | – |
| Education: | Ambrose Alli University |
| Known for: | Politics |
Early Life
Festus Egwarewa Keyamo was born on January 21, 1970 in Ughelli, a town in Delta State, Nigeria. His father, Mr. Matthias Keyamo, comes from Effurun near Warri in Delta State, and his mother, Mrs. Caroline Abeni Keyamo, is Yoruba from Ogun State.
He is the first son and third child in a family with seven children. Festus grew up with values like hard work, honesty, and service to others, which his parents taught him from a young age.
He went to Oharisi (Model) Primary School in Ughelli from 1975 to 1981, and then to Government College, Ughelli from 1981 to 1986 for his secondary schooling. There, he completed the Higher School Certificate (HSC) course before entering university in 1988.
Educational Background
After finishing secondary school, Festus Keyamo gained admission through JAMB in 1988 to Bendel State University, now called Ambrose Alli University, in Ekpoma, Edo State.
He studied Law (LL.B) and graduated in 1992 with a Second Class Upper degree. After that, he attended Nigerian Law School in Lagos and was officially called to the Nigerian Bar on December 15, 1993, becoming a practising lawyer.
Later, he went abroad and joined the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in the UK, where he became a Fellow of that institute (FCIArb).
Career
Legal Career and Human Rights Advocacy
Festus Keyamo began his legal career in 1993 working at Gani Fawehinmi Chambers in Lagos. Gani Fawehinmi was a famous Nigerian lawyer and human rights activist, so Festus learned important skills and values there.
In 1995, he left that chambers and started his own firm called Festus Keyamo Chambers. Over time, his firm grew to have offices in Lagos, Abuja (FCT), and Warri, and employed many lawyers and staff.
He took part in several landmark cases:
- He defended Mujahid Dokubo‑Asari, leader of the Niger Delta Peoples’ Volunteer Force, on treason charges.
- He acted for Ralph Uwazuruike, leader of MASSOB, also on treason charges.
- He was involved in the investigation of the murder of Chief Bola Ige, the former Minister of Justice.
- In 2008, he sued the Federal Government of Nigeria over illegal appointment of service chiefs.
- He handled media and scandal cases such as the Apostle Johnson Suleman–Stephanie Otobo matter.
Festus also led an investigation in 2009 into misuse of public funds by the Federal House of Representatives.
In 2017, the Nigerian legal body, the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee, gave him the title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). This is like being a top-level lawyer in Nigeria. In the same year, he received the Global Human Rights Award from the U.S. Global Leadership Council for his work in promoting human rights and fought for justice.
Political Journey
Festus Keyamo moved into politics in 2018 when he became the Director of Strategic Communications for President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2019 re‑election campaign.
After Buhari won re-election, Keyamo was appointed Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs in August 2019. Just one month later, in September 2019, he was redeployed to become Minister of State for Labour and Employment where he worked to improve labour laws and promote job creation in Nigeria.
Then, under President Bola Tinubu, in August 2023, Festus Keyamo was appointed as Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development. As minister, he has worked to improve air travel safety, modernize airports, and oversee Nigeria Air projects. In September 2023, he suspended the Nigeria Air project to allow a proper audit of contracts and review policies begun under his predecessor.
Awards and Recognitions
- Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2017
- Global Human Rights Award in 2017 from U.S. leadership groupÂ
- National honour from President Buhari in 2023 (he received a Nigerian national award)
Personal Life
Festus Keyamo was born into a family of seven children, and he is the first son and third child. He is well known among friends and colleagues for being loyal, down‑to‑earth, and someone who loves to laugh and enjoy life, even though he looks serious in public.
According to friends, he is very loyal—he once handled a friend’s legal cases for free and won most of them, and the friend says Festus remained close and caring over many years.
He enjoys comedy, and does not take himself too seriously. He supports Arsenal Football Club (from England) and Warri Wolves FC (from Delta State).
He was married to Isioma Irene Keyamo. They had two children: a daughter, Nicole, and a son, Festus Keyamo Jr. Some reports say their marriage ended in divorce after about six years (married in 2004, separated by around 2010), but this is not fully confirmed in official profiles.
Controversies
1. Disagreement with the National Assembly (2020)
In 2020, as Minister of State for Labour, Festus Keyamo had a big disagreement with lawmakers over the 774,000 job programme. He accused the National Assembly of trying to control the selection of candidates unfairly. The issue became public, and it caused a lot of arguments.
2. Nigeria Air Suspension (2023)
When he became Minister of Aviation, he paused the Nigeria Air project. He said it was not well prepared and called the project a “fraud.” This caused a lot of debate. Some people supported his actions, while others didn’t.
3. Social Media Disagreements
Festus Keyamo often shares his political views on Twitter. Sometimes, his bold tweets lead to online arguments. People have different opinions about his style of communication.
4. Defending Controversial Clients
As a lawyer, Festus Keyamo defended people like Dokubo-Asari and Ralph Uwazuruike, who were charged with serious crimes. Some people didn’t like this, but Festus said every Nigerian deserves legal help.
Social Media Presence
Festus Keyamo is active on social media. Two platforms he uses often are:
- Instagram: @festuskeyamo70
- Twitter (X): @fkeyamoÂ
He posts updates about his work as a minister, shares opinions on legal and national matters, and interacts with Nigerians online. These accounts are followed by many people who want to know what he does and what he thinks.
Net Worth
Different sources give different estimates of his net worth:
One Site says his net worth in 2025 is estimated between $10 million and $20 million USD another says his net worth is around $1.5 million USD. Because there is no official information or financial disclosure, we cannot know exactly how much he is worth. But we know he is a senior lawyer, owned a well‑established law firm, held important federal ministerial posts, and received national and international recognition. Therefore, it is likely that he has built some wealth and is respected financially in Nigeria.
