The minister of aviation, Mr. Hadi Sirika, has said that aviation is a channel to achieving the development of other sectors as it remains the fastest and safest mode of domestic and international movement.
Sirika made the declaration in a statement to commemorate the 2022 International Civil Aviation Day held under the theme ‘Advancing innovation for global aviation development.’
He restated Nigeria’s commitment to the ideals of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The minister said the commitment is exemplified in the government’s development of the aviation sector, what with a roadmap, which according to him, was developed at the inception of the current administration.
“The implementation of the roadmap has led to a number of record-breaking achievements in the nation’s aviation industry which have been variously acknowledged and applauded by ICAO.
“Globally, it is a well known fact that aviation doubles every fifteen years but in the case of Nigeria, it has more than doubled and in another fifteen years, it will quadruple.
“According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) aviation became the fastest growing sector of the economy pre-covid and during covid; the third fastest growing sector and after covid, according to Airport Council International (ACI).
“We are at a 111 per cent of pre-covid numbers. Apart from Colombia, we are the only country on earth that recovered so fast, and we have added even 11 per cent of pre-covid numbers,” he said.
The statistics, according to Sirika, “reinforce the continuous commitment of Nigeria to the ideals and aspirations of the International Civil Aviation Organization whose regulations have continued to guide the industry in ensuring the safety records that the country has established.”
The minister hailed the President of the ICAO council, Salvatore Siacchitano and members of the global aviation community for the ICAN22 event on the Day and hoped that Nigeria will continue to have the privilege of hosting more ICAO events in the future.
“The purpose of International Civil Aviation Day is to help generate and reinforce worldwide awareness of the importance of international civil aviation to the social and economic development of States, and of the unique role of ICAO in helping States to cooperate and realize a truly global rapid transit network at the service of all mankind,” Sirika stressed.
