‘Nigerian aviation problem is not about having a national carrier or not’

Ado Sanusi, the Deputy Managing Director, Arik Air has said that the problem of aviation in Nigeria is not whether the country has a national carrier or not rather it is in infrastructural decay in the airports in Nigeria. He had disclosed this at the just concluded Akwaaba festival held at Eko Hotel in Lagos where he explained saying while an airport in the country is rated as one of the worst airports in the world, it won’t not be fair to invest so much money on a national carrier without taking care of the airports.

According to him, “All airlines buying airplanes are buying on mortgage. What we should do is to address the infrastructural decay in Nigeria airports. If we address this problem and have a viable environment to operate, then the idea of national carrier can work effectively.”

Sanusi further explained that aviation industry in Nigeria is still in its infancy stage and there is a need to first grow the industry, adding that the problem of autonomous Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority and inconsistent policies should be addressed.

During her keynote address, Funke Adeyemi, Head of Member & External Relations Africa & Middle East, International Air Transportation Association, IATA, said Nigeria is the best served market in Africa yet lacks connectivity to the rest of the world but with liberalization, new routes will be opened, shorter travel time will be experienced, tourism and trade will increase and lower fares, ultimately leading to economic growth and enhanced development.

While highlighting the impacts of connectivity in the Nigerian economy, she explained that there will be an increase of 4,200 jobs in the aviation sector and an overall impact of $128.2Million of incremental GDP and 17,400 additional jobs.