The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. George Uriesi, has said that at 11 per cent airline passenger growth, Nigeria was one of the few countries experiencing double digit growth rate in the world.

Uriesi told newsmen that between January and June 2013, the number of airline passengers in Nigeria was estimated at eight million.

He said the industry was on a five-year consecutive double digit growth track, but it derailed in 2012 because of the accident recorded by Dana Airline.

“The figure for the first half of the year – January to June – is about eight million passengers; it’s represents almost 11 per cent growth.

‘‘We have had consecutive double digit growth for four years and we were on track to get consecutive double-digit growth for five years last year if not for the crash of Dana Airline aircraft – the unfortunate accident after which a lot of airlines went out of the market for a while.

“So there was a big lull in the second half of last year which then, for the first time in a five-year cycle we dipped below double-digit growth.

“And this year again we are racing very fast to achieve double-digit growth even on the year before because the airlines are back, the airplanes are full, so it’s an indication of a very strong underlying economy. One of the indices is the growth of airline passengers.

“The trajectory was unfortunately diminished between July and December because so many airlines went out, so it wasn’t a real indication of the potential of the industry but as of January this year the industry is back and is climbing very nicely.

“We are on track to do about 16 million passengers this year and if we do 16 million passengers that will be going towards 16 per cent to 18 per cent growth.’’

Uriesi told newsmen that the double digit growth was attributable to the major remodeling works going on in several airports in the country.

He added that many airlines were also increasing their fleets and that it was an indication that the investments made in the aviation sector was beginning to yield results.

He said that that the newly remodeled Akanu Ibiam Airport in Enugu attained international status on Saturday when it recorded a flight of 153 passengers to Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian Airlines, he said, would operate in and out of that airports four times a week.

“If we hadn’t remodeled that terminal we would not be able to do this there because we created the facility for international traffic in that terminal so the same thing will be replicated elsewhere.’’

Uriesi said if the decision to remodel the airports had not been made, the industry would have been stifled and the progress so far made would have been impossible.

“We’re experiencing very strong growth this year, so we are rushing to create the capacity for this growth not only in the international airports but all the airports that we are remodeling.

“I dread to think if we had continued to stay where we were two years back, we would stifle the growth of the industry.

“Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, now has the capacity for any international airline that wants to come and we are actively working in the background trying to encourage a number of airlines.

“Those that had stopped coming there and those who might want to come there; we are trying to encourage them to start flying into Kano also.

“So there’s a linkage between the growth, infrastructure and the impact on the country,’’ Uriesi said.