*Nigeria's Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo * Pix Source: Buzz Nigeria
The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has promised to address the various challenges facing the aviation industry in Nigeria that have hitherto hampered the growth and development of the sector and hindered it from taking advantage of its natural geographical position as the hub for Africa.
He gave the assurance during a meeting in his office at the Presidential Villa with a delegation of Airline Chief Executives of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON).
Osinbajo used the meeting as a fact finding exercise to hear first hand from the airline investors what domestic airlines are going through within the sector and to discover why despite the huge potentials and as a country blessed with a natural God given geographic location at the centre of Africa (4.30hrs to most parts of Africa); with most of its airport at approximately sea level,Nigeria is not a hub for aviation activities on the African continent.
He acknowledged the difficult situation the airlines face and promised to take a closer look into the various issues raised to find ways of addressing them, making it more friendly and promoting the ease of doing business in the airline industry as well as position Nigeria to take advantage of her natural God given geographical location as the hub in Africa.
Speaking further on the challenges faced by airline operators, the Chairman of AON, Capt. Nogie Meggison, said that some of the major issues facing airlines currently include, but are not limited to the following: removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) ( as domestic airlines are the only mode of transport paying VAT and that marine, road, rail and even the international airlines don’t pay VAT), harmonisation of over 35 multiple charges; reviewing 5 per cent Ticket Sales Charge(TSC) to a flat rate (in line with the world practices), poor navigational and landing aids, high cost and epileptic supply of JetA1, obsolete infrastructure, limiting operations to daylight operation for most airports (Nigerian airlines fly an average of only five hours as against the average of 10 hours worldwide per airplane), and lack of consultations with airlines before introduction of new charges and policies among others.
According to the AON Chairman, “There is an urgent need for a deliberate economic policy that will support the positive growth of aviation and survival of domestic airlines in the country. For instance, following the air crashes of 2005/06, government came up with a policy to ensure air safety. Similarly, the economic policy for the sustenance of the industry needs to be seriously looked into. Safety and Economic policy go hand-in-hand. Where there is no financial profit for airlines safety would be compromised. A clear economic policy for the survival of domestic airlines is very critical at this time which has resulted over the years in the death of over 25 airlines in 30years. Safety and Financial Economic Policy must go hand-in-hand; as airline investors are in the business of aviation for the profit and can’t make profit without safety or have a safe airline without profit.”
He continued, “This is the one of the main reason for the short life span of Nigeria airlines averaging about eight years, Meggison stressed, adding that: “Nigeria has the same four major catalysts in house that transformed Dubai from a desert into a hub in the Middle East today.”
The AON Chairman noted that aviation as an economic driver should be supported as much as possible to thrive for it to reap the many benefits that can easily make aviation the 4th contributor to the economy and a major contributor to the GDP and to create 200,000 new jobs for Nigeria’s ailing youths through its direct and indirect link.
He added that rather than inflict greater burden on aviation, things should be made easier.
