My people, as e be for Nigeria aviation industry, na real wahala we dey face o!
This aviation matter don turn to serious gbege because of poor management wey don dey last for many years. Damilola Ogunseye, wey be Chairman for International Airlines Operators Committee, don talk am loud and clear: operational costs dey skyrocket, infrastructure don dey crumble, and forex wahala no dey gree rest.
No be small matter, my people, as over 100 airlines don collapse since dem deregulate the industry back for the 1980s. Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation, don tell us say local carriers dey suffer pass, with only 9.96% market share and dem dey manage just 5,498 weekly seats compared to international airlines wey dey hold 54,997 weekly seats.
Abeg, na why we dey pay so much for flights? E choke! E get one Lagos-Abuja flight wey cost $9,000 (N12.73 million) for 737 wey no fit make sense. Fuel na heavy expense wey dey cut deep into di airline pocket, as e dey take 38% of dem expenses. Plus, grounded planes don dey increase unit costs by 20%!
And make we no forget say airport charges for Lagos and Abuja dey among di highest for di world. How e go be say we go dey pay $100 passenger service fee? Na wah o! London-waka ticket don reach N1.5 to N2.7 million for economy; which kain wahala be this?
Air Peace, the biggest carrier for Naija, dey try but dem no fit bring down fares wey still dey high since we dey find way survive. E no dey easy to balance business with correct pricing when demand dey high for passengers, especially students and those wey dey travel for health or business. The regulators dey catch blame too, as dem no dey do enough to stop anti-competitive pricing.
But, before we start dey point fingers, make we remember say solutions dey! Government fit start with infrastructure overhauls for airports. Keyamo don even announce N712 billion plan to upgrade MMIA Terminal 1. Wetin we go dey wait for? Them gatz follow through.
We need better policies wey go make sense and agencies wey go work together nicely. Make dem no go dey chop dem markets like jollof rice. Settle dem overlapping roles, digitise approvals, and clear out those heavy charges. E go sweet if any local airline fit get proper support with forex and maintenance addresses.
Dem talk say Air Peace don sign interline deal with Emirates wey go make sense, connecting 18 destinations across West and Central Africa with London. E dey show us say we fit still get beta future if we follow the right track.
Look e, aviation for Nigeria fit create job opportunities and boost trade. Na why we need strong policies wey go work. If Ethiopia fit build aviation industry wey dey contribute $2 billion annually and dey support over 527,000 jobs, wetin stop us?
We fit do am if government gree put hand for ground and fix our aviation matter! Time don reach to act decisively.
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