NAHCON explains 45% stake allocation to Saudi Arabian airlines to airlift Nigerian pilgrims

…As Ojikutu queries allocation

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has provided insights into why Saudi Arabian airlines were given 45 percent stake in the airlift of pilgrims from Nigeria.

The explanation is coming after John Ojikutu, a former airport commandant and Chief Executive officer of Centurion Aviation, accused NAHCON of fraudulently ceding the said percentage to Flynas, the Saudi Arabian airline that usually airlifts pilgrims.

Ojikutu had wondered why “We have no known policy for the growth of Nigerian airlines? How will the airlines develop capacity when any foreign airline can fly to all 4 or 5 of Nigeria’s international airports? How can our airlines develop capacity when the exclusive markets on our domestic and regional routes are left opened to foreign airlines?”

He queried the law that allows only Saudi airlines to airlift nationals of other countries for Hajj, if such law is not a conjecture of NAHCON?

“Unfortunately, the domestic airlines or the AON are not seen to be championing any of these courses or challenging the government on why there had been preferences for foreign airlines on government aviation policies.

“Would Britain allow Arik or Medview to fly to Gatwick and Heathrow the way the BA flies to Lagos & Abuja? Or would the U.S allow Nigerian airlines to have multiple destinations in the USA the way Delta air flies to Abuja and Lagos? Worst, which African country would allow a Nigerian airline to gallivant their country the way Ethiopian airline is gallivanting in Nigeria to all the 5 international airports? We need to call government attention to this lopsidedness or else there is no room for capacity development for the domestic airlines,” he said.

Ojikutu, who said it was fraudulent for NAHCON to have allowed Saudi Arabia had 45 percent in the airlift right, alleged that some persons have entrenched themselves in many ways as they continue to have influence on the commission, even when they are out of government.

“By the way, how does Adamu Hassan of NAHCON want anyone to believe his story that the Saudi government wants all countries of over 100 participating in the Hajj to allocate 50% of their nationals to just one single airline called Flynas? Does the airline have the capacity?” he asked.

But a NAHCON source explained that the whole arrangement was beyond the agency, adding that it was a pact signed between Nigeria and Saudi Authorities that gave rise to the situation.

The source also stated that Saudi Arabia, being the only country where Hajj is performed, has by a royal decree giving Saudi Designated Carriers (not Flynas alone) the right to airlift 50% of Hajj Traffic under government quota from any country coming for Hajj, saying that before 2010, the Saudi Government collected Royalties in lieu of this right.

However, he said it began to demand for an implementation of this right in 2010 after Nigeria, suspended the payment of royalties to Saudi Arabia as a result of its own choice not to participate in the airlift of Nigerian pilgrims.

He said when the second Board of NAHCON came in 2011; Saudi Arabia re-iterated its demand and Nigeria objected. This, he said led to a series of correspondences, meetings that almost resulted to a diplomatic row between the two countries threatening the performance of Hajj.

“To avoid this, Nigeria sent a delegation in August 2014 under the leadership of the then Minister of State II Foreign Affairs, Nuruddeen Muhammad. The delegation agreed to give the Saudi Carriers, 9,500 pilgrims to ensure Hajj 2014 was not affected pending a conclusive resolution of the face-off which was on-going for three years.

“In February 2015, a bilateral meeting involving  Nigeria’s Ministry of Aviation, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), NAHCON, Airlines, Saudi General Authority on Civil Aviation (GACA) and Saudi Ministry of Hajj was held in Jeddah. A Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) was signed by the Vice Chairman of GACA for Saudi Arabia and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation for Nigeria.

“The BASA among other things, provided for a gradual compliance of Nigeria with the Saudi decree. Nigeria would yield 25% of its pilgrims under Government quota in 2015, 35% in 2016, 45% in 2017 and ultimately 50% from 2018. Nigeria is the only country I know of, that has dragged and later agreed on such gradual compliance. All other countries coming for Hajj are in compliance with the policy including those that have strong National carriers,” he said.