The Aviacargo roadmap Committee setup by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has earmarked a-three-year period to transform the nation into a cargo hub and to become number one in Africa.
The Aviacargo roadmap Committee was setup by FAAN in December 2022 to address challenges identified during the annual Chinet Aviacargo Cargo Conference held in Lagos. The Committee is expected to come up with a workable document that will propel the aviation sector into a Cargo driven sector.
Speaking on Tuesday at the Managing Director’s conference room at FAAN Lagos during the inauguration of three sub-committees, Coordinator of the AviaCargo roadmap committee, Mr. Ikechi Uko, who is also the organiser of Aviation and Cargo conference, said Nigeria can move up the ladder of air cargo movements in Africa if all hands were on deck.
READ: Africa: Stakeholders setup technical committee at Chinet to develop aviacargo guidelines
“We need to be number one in Africa, in a hurry for the simple fact that we have the largest economy in Africa, we have busy airports many Products and the biggest Population, we want to be the hub for cargo movements in West Africa.
”Kenya is ranked number one in Africa, yet it has a smaller economy and a smaller population, what are we not doing right in Nigeria where we have busier airports?
“We found out some gaps and that gave rise to setting up these Sub committees. We found out that the quantity of domestic cargo through the airports is too small for a country like ours, we cannot develop a regional cargo hub without having a strong domestic operation. Why are the domestic airlines not taking this seriously”, he said.
Uko, who noted further that there is need for an engagement with the logistics and financial companies, revealed that the issue of funding was also identified. Logistics is a problem and Product quality gaps exists.
“We have three years to turn things around but we can do this in 18 months if we are committed. We plan to work with five domestic clusters.What can we do to scale up production, export and distribution in all the clusters. We will work using the Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis for each of the domestic clusters”, he added.
Earlier, Mr. Hyacinth Ngwu, General Manager, Business Development, (FAAN), explained that the Managing Director of FAAN, Captain Rabiu Yadudu, decided to champion the development of air cargo by first nominating Ikechi Uko as coordinator of AviaCargo roadmap committee to kickstart the process.
The three sub-committees inaugurated on Tuesday are Airport, Cargo and Export sub-committees.
According to Uko, they have 45 days to deliver reports.
The Airport team has the following among others as terms of reference:
How will we make Nigeria the No. 1 Air Cargo airport in Africa? What are the challenges getting to the No. 1 (NEEDS assessment) gaps between current and achieving desired outcome.
How do we make Lagos and Abuja – attractive as a hub? Review or create Airport Master plan, Airport vision and development strategy.
Establish development Priorities Multitenancy planning expanding none airside business, Freezone Integration and Airport Warehousing.
Freezone Integration strategy Warehousing integration.
How do the plans devolve into getting the airports ready for Cargo – additional recommendations.
Scope & Scale of work include: What needs to be done to achieve capacity?How can we scale with existing constraints. What are the benefits in allowing potential end-users to install and regulate standards? How do we identify potential end users? Identify the business opportunities and markets.
Membership includes: FAAN, NCAA, SAHCO, NAHCO, EHI, GWX, PAMOLISA, NEPZA, AON, NCS and. Mr Elvis Emecheta.
The Export sub-committee’s terms of reference include but not limited to:
What do we produce for export? (Complete List). What are the existing markets for Nigerian products? What are the challenges with production? Why do our exports not meet destination requirements? How do we increase production? Industries and Users that can scale the opportunity. Itemize a breakdown of the factors and constraints (i.e multiple taxation etc.). What are the challenges in transporting the products to the point of export? What are the challenges faced in regulatory framework.? What are the challenges faced by our exports at the destinations (prod. by product) What is the possibility to transform our raw materials currently being exported?
The Scope of work includes undertaking research, having stakeholders’ engagement, compilation of study and production of a report.
Membership includes: Capt John Okapu, NAQs, SON, NAFDAC, NEPZA, Cargolux, SAHCO, NAHCO, LCCI, Insurance, NEPC, Farmer Association, Customs, GWX and DAD Logistics.
Cargo sub-committee’s terms of reference include but not limited to:
Cargo numbers reflect that Nigeria is Number. 5, what is the reasons.
What are the factors surrounding and limiting the growth in Aviacargo(collate the factors)? Itemize a breakdown of the factors and constraints (i.e multiple taxation etc.)
What is the percentage of impact for each identified factor/constraint? Graph the impacts Recommend ways to mitigate the constraints.
What is the opportunity for scaling the numbers? Industries and Users that can scale the opportunity. How would the constraints be removed? What are the possible projections if the limitations are removed?
Aircargo industry and impacts. List cargo operators both operating in the region and possibility of operating and the route they fly.
Scope of work:
What needs to be done to achieve capacity? How can we scale the hurdle with existing constraints? What are the benefits and detriments in allowing potential end-users install and regulate standards? How do we identify potential end users? Identify the business opportunities and markets.
Membership:
Cargolux, GWX, Ehi, Pamolisa, SAHCO, NAHCO, ANCLA, NAGAFF, AON, Mr Amos Akpan, DAD Logistics, Customs, NCAA and Mr Elvis Emecheta and Charles Omiete.
Nigeria currently ranks 5th in Africa’s air cargo movements while it also imports more than she exports, creating an imbalance that is adversely affecting the economy.
1 comment
Great job! I like the fact that a target time has been set. It shows the seriousness of the committee. I have no doubt that with the backing of the necessary government agencies and stakeholders. This can be achieved even before the target date. All the best!