Chinedu Eze
It has been projected that in the next 30 years, Nigerian airports would be processing about 200 million passengers annually.
Currently, Nigeria processes about 15 million passengers annually, with 20 active airports, 554 licensed pilots, 913 licensed engineers and 1,700 cabin personnel. With population growth that is estimated to rise to 280 within the period under projection, which would trigger enormous economic development and expansion, it is forecast that the number of airports would more than double and more people would have the resources to travel by air both on domestic and international routes.
The Vice-President, Revenue Management of Porter Airlines, Canada, Chris Amenechi made this known in a presentation in Lagos recently stating that presently, about 22 international airlines operate into the country and that Nigeria has Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) with 78 countries.
“The Nigerian aviation industry has significant commercial and infrastructure upside. It has the potential to drive significant export and income through visionary leadership utilising natural talent. Unfortunately, the leadership over the last 30 years has not been consistent or visionary enough. The previous missteps has left it moribund for the most part so it is not a surprise Nigeria is lagging behind its global peers,” Amenechi said.
He noted that the industry spans the breadth of airlines, airports, intermodal transport infrastructure, maintenance and overhaul, hospitality, tourism, technology, manufacturing, distribution, airway infrastructure, cargo/logistics, defense and others.
Amenechi said if the initial development tempo in the aviation industry after independence was followed till now, the sector would have been contributing significantly to the economic development of the country and would have been a dependable source of revenue to the present government, adding that by 2045 the key indices in the aviation industry would have multiplied.
“The aviation industry can be one of the triggers to drive the nation’s economy by this and subsequent administrations. Aviation 2045 is focused on six pillars underpinned with a $30billion fund to deliver a world class industry and fuel the nation’s economic growth.
“The ultimate objective is to deliver the following: 200 plus million passengers a year in air transport complex; world class airports that are intermodal hubs; Nigeria as a global player in the military/civil aviation; robust general and recreational aviation industry and Nigeria as a preferred aviation investment destination,” he said, adding that Nigeria would be rated as a top 10 source of world class aviation talent; top 10 global aviation gateway and top 10 globally safe aviation market by the said period.
He said Nigeria could be a champion of ‘smart open skies’ policy, remarking that Nigerian aviation requires the appropriate leadership like what was experienced in the mobile communications industry after the advent of democracy in the country, remarking that the requisites for effective leadership in the aviation industry include astute technocrats, ambitious investors, and pragmatic regulators; those that would deliver a long term strategic framework to develop this industry and also instill innovation, institutional foundations, standards, and relevant technology.
Amenechi said Nigeria should have the technocrats who would build the continent’s best training and development institutions and grow the professional talent base; establish regulations that are delivered safety, encourage economic growth, and industry diversification; establish regulations that are patriotic to Nigerian customers, employees, and investors; embrace world leading bilateral/multilateral regimes that open Nigeria to “real investors” and ensure that Nigerian entities can play globally in a favourable position.
Such technocrats would also enforce the enabling laws that instill discipline in delivering the safest aviation industry globally and ensure the nation is carried along every step of the way.
Meanwhile, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) would be processing up to 30 million passengers annually from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The existing 15 million passengers processed annually is expected to double when the new international terminal with the capacity for another 15 million passengers comes on stream late 2016.
Speaking to aviation correspondents in his office on the activities the agency on traffic management before and after the yuletide period, the general manager corporate communications, Mr Yakubu Dati said except for the Turkish airline’s passengers breach that activities at the airport during the Yuletide was hitch free and there was seamless passengers facilitation.
Dati said FAAN security operatives and other security agencies deployed detective machines such as screening machine, CCTV, full body scanners and personal intelligence to ensure easy facilitation of passengers.
He said the new airport terminal would epitomise modernity with the latest flight information display system, the latest electronic gadgets and facilities for easy movement of check-in passengers.
Dati said the airport is being built with the latest security protection system in recognition of the heightened security threat n the world, as terrorists target airport facilities with the aim to do maximum damage.
“When completed the new terminal in Lagos, will be able to process additional 15 million passengers which means we will able to service about 30 million passengers. All these are things put together to raise aviation to a new level this year,” he said.
Dati said security has been repositioned across the airports with a view to meeting the challenges ahead, adding that FAAN was looking forward to partnering with investors as a result of dwindling resources in line with the Minister’s statement.
He therefore appealed to FAAN concessionaire especially airlines to pay their debts to agencies in order to enable them to continue rendering services to them.
On the preparation for the forthcoming International Civil Aviation Organisation ICAO audit in March, Dati revealed that what looked like a mock exercise towards the audit was conducted by the Airport Council International (ACI) team during the team’s visit on its invitation by the managing director of FAAN, Suleh Dunoma.
According to Dati, ACI team visited facilities at the airport and made recommendations and from the recommendations some open areas identified would be closed before the audit date, assuring that the country would scale through the audit.
He said government was doing everything possible to ensure that the country would not disappoint Dr. Bernard Aliu as a Nigerian and as the ICAO president of ICAO Council.
On the certification of airports in the country, Dati said a team was working round the clock with other aviation agencies to ensure that all gaps were closed so that at least four of the major airports could be certified by ICAO.
He advised airport users, especially passengers not to leave any luggage behind as any unattended luggage will be destroyed. He also warned passengers and urged them to adhere strictly to airport rules and regulations and not to carry any luggage not belonging to them.
