IT is no longer news that Nigeria's aviation sector still faces major challenges. The country has 22 airports; four out of these are international. Sadly, most if not all, are in poor condition.This fact, was recently highlighted by the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, which described the situation as ' the pitiable state of the Nigerian airports, especially the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.' The Managing Director of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. George Uriesi, has recognized this vital point and assured Nigerians and the outside world that some measures were being planned to redress the situation. Among the planned measures are the redesigning of the facades of the buildings to give them a modern look, expansion of the footprints of some of the buildings to create additional capacity, and the redesigning and construction of the interior of the buildings to deliver new floors, new ceilings, new toilets and effective air-conditioning systems. While these efforts at improving the terminal buildings are good, we are of the opinion that they still fall far short of the required holistic approach to aviation development in Nigeria. FAAN and the supervising Ministry of Aviation should leverage on the potentials embedded in the aviation business. The authorities must look beyond scratching the problems afflicting the sector on the surface. The more fundamental issues of outdated navigational equipment, inadequate security measures and equipment, as well as poor services need to be addressed. An upgrade of the airports to international standards will encourage additional international airlines to do business in the country. It is the only way the country could become a regional hub in West and Central Africa. The economic benefits of this will be in multiples of whatever amount invested in the upgrades here recommended. In a sector that is knowledge-driven, the dearth of indigenous aviation professionals has not helped matters. In truth, the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) has also been a casualty of the poor funding that hit the sector over the years. The issue of professional knowledge in Aviation management, particularly in the training and upkeep of aviation professionals cannot be over emphasized. There must be a routine systematic flow of new breed of welltrained professionals as aircraft engineers, pilots and air traffic controllers in the industry. The authorities must ensure that the institution overcomes challenges of funding, research and development. The industry has considerable demand for Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities. Unfortunately, the absence of maintenance hangars in Nigeria means airlines pay exorbitantly for mandatory safety checks abroad. According to experts, local aviation players should be encouraged by government to invest in this vital facility as an avenue to reduce capital flight and to become a maintenance hub to provide muchneeded services to West and Central Africa sub-region. Safety is one of the fundamentals of a buoyant aviation sector and government must take bold initiatives to encourage investment in this component of the industry. For the Nigerian aviation system to become more relevant to the global flying public, the authorities must work assiduously to ensure full compliance of the airports with international standards. Scaling the certification process of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) audits is crucial. One of the persistent drawbacks in the sector is the frequent change in ministerial leadership, and appointments not based on expertise. This, along with the other issues of standards earlier raised, should be urgently and holistically addressed, to make Nigeria the aviation hub of the West and Central Africa sub-region.
Click here to read full news..
