Having given the Nigeria’s aviation industry a not too impressive mark for its 2019 performance, stakeholders’ say 2020 present another opportunity for policy makers to change the industry from the state of a grudging turkey to that of a flying eagle; SULEIMAN IDRIS writes:
There is no doubt that for many countries of the world, aviation is the live wire of their economy, while those who have realised the potentials the sector can bring to them are leaving nothing to chance to develop the critical infrastructure that spur travel into the countries thereby promoting tourism, attracting foreign investment and contributing significantly to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Stakeholders are however unanimous that Nigeria is strategically located to serve as a hub for airlines transiting within Africa as well Europe and America, but that policy summersault, corruption, and the lack of drive by the Ministry of Aviation remains the major drawback to unlocking and developing the huge potentials the aviation sector present to a country like Nigeria.
According to majority of them, the near absence of the show of leadership by the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika leaves everyone and everything in a state of confusion with no one knowing what government is thinking and intends to do in the industry. They pointed to the fact that since his return as the Minister in charge of aviation for the second time, he has virtually been evasive from stakeholders and activities of the sector.
When Sirika assumed office as the Minister of State for aviation in 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari received huge commendation for finally finding an aviator to pilot the affairs of the sector, but the Minister’s six point agenda to turn around the industry remains a mirage five years into the administration.
However, optimism is rife in the sector that the New Year 2020 presents another opportunity to the Minister, the agencies and policy makers in the sector to position the sector to become the bride and pride of Africa.
Change the industry’s fortune in 2020
Passage of Aviation Bills
According to experts in the industry, the National Assembly holds the ace to unlocking the potentials of the sector in 2020 if the country is to achieve anything meaningful by speedily considering and passing the bills presented to the parliament by President Buhari in November 2019. The six bills are the Civil Aviation Bill 2019, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria Bill 2019, and the Nigerian College of Airspace Management Agency Establishment Bill 2019. The others are the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology Establishment Bill 2019, Nigerian Meteorological Agency Establishment Bill 2019 and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau Establishment Bill 2019.
A former Airport Commandant and security expert retired Group Captain John Ojikutu while affirming the need for NASS to expedite action on the bills also posited that the federal govt. must seek to separate the safety and economic regulatory functions of the country’s air business. He advised that a Civil Aviation Commerce Board (CACB) be establish and vested with the authority to oversee and regulate air trades among airlines and on behalf of Nigeria, unlike what is currently obtain whereby the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) perform both functions of economic and safety regulations of the industry. Capt. Ojikutu said NCAA has not done well in its economic regulatory oversights. He said “the CACB should be tasked to promote and regulate civil aviation commerce within and between Nigeria and foreign countries in the interest of air business. the approval of scheduled commercial air routes BASA and Commercial Agreements should be considered air commence function and accordingly the responsibility of the CACB,” he said.
Infrastructure development
The development of airport infrastructure remains the core mandate of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). At an interactive session with members of the House of Representative during their oversight tour of airport facilities in Lagos, Managing Director of FAAN, Captain Hamisu Yadudu did outlined the massive infrastructure improvement been carried out by the agency. While the agency has received commendations for brand new terminals constructed and already been use in Abuja and Port Harcourt, it promises that those of Kano and Lagos will soon be commission and open for business.
A Consultant and Managing Director of SYnT Communications, Mr. Simon Tumba said it is to the credit of FAAN that the industry has witnessed an impressive infrastructural upgrade in the last few years but added that a lot still need to be done to meet up with nations that have taken their aviation industry to greater height. Mr. Tumba said “we still need to build more infrastructures; the nagging issue of concession must not be put away. There is need to transparently concession Lagos and Abuja airports for a start with inputs from key stakeholders. It is erroneous not to engage stakeholders in the development of the airports including the designs of the facilities.”
Launch of national carrier
Whether the proposed launch of a national carrier has become a mirage or a project still under incubation by the Minister is an issue that baffles industry experts. Sirika had during an Air Show in July in the United Kingdom in 2018 announced the launch of a National Carrier christened ‘Nigeria Air’. The announcement was greeted with pomp and jubilations in the country and beyond, but to the chagrin of the aviation world, the Minister via a tweet on his twitter handle @hadisirika on 19 September 2018, barely two months after the UK show of intent announced the Nigerian govt. decision to suspend the launch of the national carrier. Experts said the suspension does not amount to the demise of the project but that he must return to the drawing board and get all the necessary things right before the next launch. Many still believe that the country deserves to have a national carrier. Capt. For Ojikutu, he believes that “to move forward in the industry, we must set up a national carrier that can effectively compete with foreign airlines on the continental and intercontinental routes. We must restrict each of the foreign airlines either to Lagos or Abuja and any one or two from alternate region to the airport of first choice”
He added that “these arrangements will create market for the Nigeria domestic airlines. FAAN must upgrade the dormant and not too active airports for night flying to improve the domestic airlines markets and earnings. Grade the airports into four categories where the grade one (Lagos and Abuja) would charge higher service fees compare to grade B, and B higher than C and D may charge no fees.”
Also, stakeholders affirmed that the launch of a carrier remains the best option to fast track the employment of thousands of pilots, engineers and associated force who are jobless in the industry.
Improving airports’ security
Two incidents of security breaches by supposed stowaway at the Lagos airport in 2019 is a pointer to the fact that more work still need to be done to ensure a safe and secure airport environment for airlines and passengers. Those who spoke to Blueprint Newspaper are of the opinion that a breach of security fence around the Lagos airport does not augur well for the industry. However, FAAN has promised an upgrade in the security architectures around the facilities across the country in the New Year. Security experts in the industry call for effective fencing of the operational areas including provision of surveillance gadget for security and safety of airport operations.
A security contractor who does not want his name made public advised that “the Aviation Security should excised from FAAN and made autonomous, and to be conform sufficiently to Chapter one of ICAO Annex 17, ensure that a single command and control is established from the autonomous agency for all government security agencies working in the airports. That is what the USA TSA do at all airports.”
It is the views of stakeholders that the year 2020 holds tremendous prospects for the Nigeria aviation industry but that if government and those saddles with the responsibility to execute well thought out policies and programmes will put square pegs in the correct holes.
