NBS Q1 Aviation Sector report means more pressure on airport facilities

It is unfamiliar to regular travellers that our airports are in a state of insalubrious due to neglect and poor facilities. The unfortunate situation has seen the country’s airports being ranked low compared with countries in Europe, Asia and the United States.

The recent first quarter (Q1) report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on the Nigerian Aviation Sector shows a spiral in passenger traffic at our airports, which means there will be more pressure on the already worn out facilities.

According to the NBS, a total of 3.41 million passengers used the Nigerian airports in the first quarter 2014 alone. Of the total figure (3.41m), 2.35 million passengers travelled domestically, representing 68.84 percent of the aggregate, whereas 1.06 million passengers travelled internationally, or 31.16 percent of the total estimated travellers.

A further break down of the NBS data shows that the busiest airport for passengers in Nigeria was the Muritala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, with a total passenger of 1.68 million or 49.27 percent of the total recorded at the airports. This was followed by the Abuja International Airport, which hosted 907.98 million passengers or 26.57 percent of the total.

It should be noted that in 2013 alone, total passengers that passed through our airports were 14.61 million, an increase of 3.72 percent from 14.11 million recorded in 2012.

If by Q1 2014, a total of 3.41 million passengers passed though our airports, it means the figure may spiral and surpass that of 2013 figures. The sorry state of our airports calls for public private partnership to fixing the broken facilities.

Our airports are notorious for poor services, congestion and overcrowding in queues, and adding to the pains of travellers are the air conditioners that are in moribund state.

Regular travellers will agree that acrid smell of urine greets them as they use the toilets at the Terminal 1 and 2 of the Muritala Mohammed Airport, as broken pipes make the restrooms water lodged, the experience to some travellers is unimaginable.

Patrick Atuanya and Bala Augie