Stakeholders Want New National Carrier

Fourteen years after the liquidation of Nigeria’s flag carrier, the Nigeria Airways, leading aviation stakeholders  are calling for the establishment of a new national carrier.
The stakeholders, including Dr Harold Demuren, a former Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) made the call at a Lagos aviation conference on Tuesday.
According to Demuren and other stakeholders, establishing a new national carrier will fast-track growth in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
The theme of the conference is: “Vision 2050: How to Fast-track Nigeria’s Aviation Industry”.
The Tide Source reports that the Federal Government had recently appointed transaction advisers for the establishment of a national carrier for the country, in its bid to reposition the aviation sector.
“There are lots of opportunities for Nigeria. We have the largest population in Africa. By 2050, we will have a population of 399 million people.
“There is solid manpower and Nigerians travel a lot and we have purchasing power. Let’s make sure it is to our own advantage because Nigeria is a natural hub,” Demuren said.
“We have started the discussion on a national carrier and everybody should get involved and bring their suggestions.
“It is disheartening that you wake up and you want to travel and you fly Ethiopian Airlines, which is an African airline. What do they have that is better than us?
“So, why can’t we have our own because you can never be wrong supporting your own,” the former NCAA chief argued.
Demuren pointed out that poor corporate governance, high interest rate, high cost of aviation fuel and inadequate infrastructure were some of the challenges facing airline business in Nigeria.
He said that addressing the challenges and improving safety regulations would help to position the country to achieve its set goals in the aviation sector.
Also speaking, Mr Ali Magashi, Chairman of Aso Savings and Loans Plc, argued that aviation was part of the macro-economic infrastructure of government which would help to support and stimulate other sectors of the economy.
Magashi said the Nigerian government had no option than to invest in a national carrier, stressing that the best airlines globally such as Emirates, British Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, South African Airways, Lufthansa, among others, had the support of their governments.
According to him, it will not only lead to manpower development in the aviation industry but will help create jobs in areas such as tourism and the hospitality industry.
He, however, explained that investors were not keen to invest in airline business, due to high capital, high risk, long gestation and low margin returns.
On his part, Mr Opeyemi Agbaje, Chief Executive Officer of RTC Advisory Services Ltd., said the Nigerian aviation sector required $50 billion investment in the next 30 years to make the country a global player.
Agbaje advised the government to intensify efforts to attract Foreign Direct Investments to the industry, noting that available statistics had shown that it could not finance the desired infrastructural projects.
He urged government to provide a stable macro-economic environment, forward looking and proactive policies as well as compelling vision for the industry shared by all stakeholders.