The Nigeria Air project and realities of our time
By Bashir Madugu In my very humble view, the idea of the proposed Air Nigeria is excellent and long overdue. Even if coming so late, I commend the originators of the concept. However, the strategy towards its success and sustainability should not include Ethiopian Airlines. This is because Ethiopian Airlines is a great competitor […]
By Bashir Madugu
In my very humble view, the idea of the proposed Air Nigeria is excellent and long overdue. Even if coming so late, I commend the originators of the concept.
However, the strategy towards its success and sustainability should not include Ethiopian Airlines. This is because Ethiopian Airlines is a great competitor and Ethiopia as a nation considers her world class airline as the life blood of the nation. Truly, it is the pride of Africa. Their perennial ambition is to continue to dominate African aviation. No wonder that Ethiopia is still promoting the “Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM)”, a decision of the African Union in Yamoussoukro which was rejected as part of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The success of their aviation sector did not happen overnight. Despite their numerous challenges, especially in terms of resources and their penchant for military adventurism, I sincerely admire them for identifying their priorities and relentlessly pursuing them for decades with focus…..The result is what we have today, Ethiopian Airlines!
The airline was far smaller than the defunct Nigeria Airways. I decided to bring this to the public space because I would want this to be on record.
I suggest the following strategic approach for the success and sustainability of the proposed laudable Nigeria Air.
- As a first step, advertise worldwide and engage a world class consultant to come up with an end to end solution, (comprehensive feasibility) taking everything into account in our circumstances. No specific consultant should be favoured for this job. (This may have been done already but I don’t trust the process).
- Nigeria is blessed with equally strategic locations that can rival Addis Ababa, Dubai and Cairo. Additional advantages Nigeria enjoys include large population and economy. In that light, the federal government should encourage private sector investment in large, world class aircraft maintenance hangers and massive airport terminal which can be done through public private collaboration. These hangers will service the numerous airlines coming and earn foreign exchange for the country and the airport will become the hub and nucleus of the proposed Nigeria Air. Presently, our domestic carriers conduct their routine maintenance in Addis Ababa.
- The private sector should be the drivers of the proposed Nigeria Air. They should be properly organised and well-funded with massive war chest for the impending hammer from big airlines. With massive funding, they should be able to absorb the relentless onslaught from the very hostile aviation environment. This is informed by the demise of Ghana Airways, Cameroon Airlines, Nigeria Airways and many other African airlines as a consequence of fierce competition. South African Airlines and Kenya Airways are presently struggling to survive
- All the Bilateral Air Services Agreements (BASAs) signed by Nigeria with other countries should be dusted, reviewed and exploited exhaustively.
- The proposed airline should also place emphasis on cargo from the onset. Being the largest economy with the largest population in Africa, Nigeria has an edge on this. We should carefully take the advantage.
- A private sector driven Nigeria Air supported by the federal government and Nigerians will surely succeed. Like Emirates Airlines, professionals should be engaged to manage it without any interference from any quarters, subject to our laws.
- In addition to the massive terminal, aircraft maintenance hangers, fueling facilities and infrastructure should also be constructed in the two potential hubs, Lagos or Abuja. With the right policies and incentives, this can easily be achieved through public private partnerships. Many flights from the Middle East to the Americas, from Southern Africa to Europe will readily stop for refueling in Nigeria if our climate is conducive. For the moment, they either stop for the same purpose in Accra or Dakar. This should be reversed as the commercial prospect is massive.
- The federal government should set up aviation and hospitality training institutions to beef up capacity and skills in view of the anticipated upsurge in the sector. The multiplier effect this will create is immeasurable.
- The population should be aggressively encouraged to fly Nigeria Air. Staff and consultants of government ministries departments and agencies at the federal, state and local levels should be mandated to only use the airline where the routes permit.
It is my sincere hope that the promoters of the wonderful Nigeria Air project will be guided by our national interests as much as commercial realities permit.
Madugu sent this from Abuja