The League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) has called for stronger consultation among the Federal Government, aviation agencies, airlines, airport operators, labour, investors and other stakeholders before major fiscal and regulatory decisions affecting Nigeria’s aviation industry are implemented.
Chairman of LAAC, Suleiman Idris, made the call at the 30th Annual Conference of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC)in Lagos, with the theme, “Towards a Sustainable Aviation Industry: Balancing Government Revenue Demands with Sector Growth.”
Idris said the conference, marking three decades of LAAC’s contribution to aviation journalism, came at a critical time for the industry, particularly amid debates over revenue generation, policy consistency, infrastructure and the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) and Cargo Sales Charge (CSC).
He said while the government had legitimate revenue needs to fund national development, the aviation sector should not be burdened beyond its capacity to grow.
“Government has legitimate revenue requirements to fund critical areas of national development. Government-owned and regulated aviation institutions also require sustainable revenue to discharge their statutory responsibilities,” Idris said.
“But the challenge before us is not whether government should generate revenue from aviation. The more important question is: How much revenue can the sector reasonably bear without undermining its capacity to grow?”
According to him, this balance was at the heart of the conference and required objective discussion among stakeholders.
Idris said stakeholders should look beyond debates over how aviation revenues were shared and focus more on what the funds were being used to achieve.
He identified regulation, safety and security, airport infrastructure and the modernisation of air navigation systems as areas that should benefit from revenues generated from the sector.
“The central question should not simply be who gets what percentage,” he said.
“We should also ask: What should these revenues achieve? How much should go towards regulation? How much should support safety and security? How much should be invested in infrastructure? How much should be deployed to modernise air navigation systems?”
He also called for greater accountability and transparency in the utilisation of funds generated from aviation activities.
The LAAC chairman stressed the need for a more structured relationship between government and aviation stakeholders, arguing that consultation should take place before, rather than after, policies were finalised.
“LAAC call for stronger and more structured engagement among the federal government, aviation agencies, airlines, airport operators, labour, investors and other stakeholders before major fiscal or regulatory decisions affecting the sector are implemented,” he said.
“The industry must be given a seat at the table.”
Idris cautioned that consultation should not simply involve informing stakeholders about decisions that had already been taken.
“Consultation should not merely be about informing stakeholders of decisions that have already been taken. It should involve meaningful dialogue in which industry concerns are considered before policies are finalised,” he said.
Reflecting on LAAC’s 30-year history, Idris said the League had remained at the forefront of aviation journalism in Nigeria, providing a platform for informed discourse, professional engagement and constructive scrutiny of policies and developments in the industry.
He described the 30th edition of the conference as more than an annual gathering, saying it represented an opportunity for stakeholders to reflect on the industry’s past, assess its current state and determine the direction Nigeria’s aviation sector should take.
“The 30th edition is therefore not merely another annual gathering. It is a milestone in the history of the League and an opportunity to reflect on where we have been, where we are today, and most importantly, where Nigeria’s aviation industry should be heading,” he said.
He said the conference theme was particularly timely given the range of challenges confronting the industry.
Idris also commended Nigeria’s aviation agencies for their role in regulating the industry and maintaining the balance between regulation and the need for operators to thrive.
He acknowledged their contribution to consumer protection, airport infrastructure development, passenger experience and operational efficiency.
“LAAC wishes to commend the critical role our aviation agencies have played and continue to play in maintaining the delicate balance between effective regulation, consumer protection, the creation of an environment in which operators can thrive, the continuous improvement in airport infrastructure, passenger experience and operational efficiencies,” he said.
He, however, maintained that the sustainability of Nigeria’s aviation industry would require continued dialogue and collaboration among all stakeholders.
The conference is expected to provide a platform for industry leaders, policymakers, regulators, airlines, airport operators and other stakeholders to examine how Nigeria can balance government revenue expectations with the need to create an aviation industry capable of attracting investment, improving infrastructure and achieving sustainable growth.
