Ime Akpan
In 2024, key trends shaped Nigeria’s aviation industry. Some of the developments are highlighted in this piece.
Keyamo: Minister in the mould of Ulysses
After the minister of aviation and aerospace development, Mr Festus Keyamo assumed duty, he convened a stakeholders’ conference in Lagos where he told the chief executives of aviation agencies and departmental heads in the ministry that he had signed a performance bond with President Bola Tinubu.
He announced that he would not go down alone should anyone cause him to lose his job and return him to the labour market.
“I be Warri boy o and you know say Warri nor dey carry last. Before I’m sacked I will first of all show the person wey cause problem for me the door. Dis one nor be joke,” he declared.
After the event, the minister railroaded the top management staff of the ministry and all its agencies to his hometown in Warri, Delta State for a retreat.
Thereafter, Keyamo reasoned like the mythical Ulysses in Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem ‘Ulysses’ that it “little profits” him to “rust unburnish’d, not to shine in use”! Therefore, he resolved “to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield” until he got illusive international partners wherever they may be to invest in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
In March the minister led a Nigerian delegation on a four-day bilateral working visit to France where he engaged leading aircraft leasing companies in the country to facilitate the leasing of Airbus aircraft to Nigeria’s private airline operators.
At Airbus facility in Toulouse, Keyamo was captured in a controversial 1:59secs video doing a promo (side hustle!) for the renowned aircraft manufacturer, Airbus, a development that set tongs wagging on the mainstream and social media.
“This is the factory of the aircraft manufacturing giant – Airbus in Toulouse, France. This is the aircraft for Nigeria – Airbus 220 family, the jack of all trades for Nigeria. You see it all the time in Nigeria. This is the A350 and when you enter it, you will see heaven on earth in the aircraft. This is the big one here, the A380 – the double-decker. Look at it; you can’t get it bigger than this.
“This is an A330; it’s awesome. We also have A320. These are the models of Airbus. They are awesome aircraft and we are trying to get some of these into the country with our private airline operators.
“We want to make the conditions conducive enough for the aircraft leasing companies to bring these into Nigeria, but this is the major factory of Airbus in Toulouse,” Keyamo declared.
The Boeing Company in Seattle, United States, was another port of call by Minister Keyamo in August where he signed a nine-point memorandum of understanding with the aircraft manufacturer to strengthen Nigeria’s aviation sector.
As part of the strategic relationship, the MoU states that Boeing will provide facilitation of aircraft acquisition, enhanced technical support, training and development, maintenance and engineering support, on-site support, leadership development, safety and operational efficiency, regulatory support, and airport and MRO development.
Also in August he was in Helsinki, Finland and Vienna in Austria for critical factory inspections and familiarisation meetings with Vaisala and Frequentis AG, two leading aviation infrastructure equipment manufacturers.
Keyamo also led the Nigerian delegation to the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC) held in Baku, Azerbaijan in November.
In September the minister flew to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to extract a “historic” commitment that would foster “a balanced and forward-looking partnership with the UAE” as well as grant “reciprocal operational rights for Nigerian airlines, which will not only deepen our bilateral ties but also strengthen the global competitiveness of Nigeria’s aviation industry” for “a thriving and mutually beneficial air service relationship.”
The outcome of the ‘aeroplomatic’ engagement was the return of Emirates to Nigeria in October.
That Nigeria earnestly requested and needed the airline’s comeback, Minister Keyamo actually went back to the UAE to escort the airline to Nigeria and it was celebrated with great pomp, mostly in higher places, as if the country had lifted the world cup trophy in football.
In November, the minister headed Nigeria’ strategic mission to the 35th ordinary plenary session of the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) in Brazzaville, Congo for the election of Ms Adefunke Adeyemi as its secretary general for a second term.
“This is not just a win for Nigeria but for the entire African aviation industry. Ms. Adeyemi’s outstanding leadership and innovative vision have positioned AFCAC to deliver transformative progress across the continent. Nigeria remains committed to driving the goals of AfCAC and ensuring the realisation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM),” Keyamo said in a statement after the hotly-contested election.
During the year in review, Keyamo made blunders such as smearing aviation industry regulators with the corruption tar and meddling in the affairs of regulatory agency, against the norm.
In the wake of Dana Air’s incident at the local wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in April 23, Keyamo engaged aviation stakeholders whom he called “puff-puff experts” in a verbal duel after they had criticised his handling of the matter.
He went overboard and declared that there was so much corruption in the regulatory agencies, accusing them compromising safety by okaying unhealthy aircraft to fly.
“Unfortunately…, there is deep complicity in the aviation sector,” Keyamo said in an interview with Channels TV. “The truth of the matter is that there is falsification of reports in the system. Falsification of checks they do, falsification of training they do. It is a system of corruption we are fighting, and we are going to bring down that system. This sector is one of the most corrupt I’ve seen because people bypass regulations.
“Most of them (corrupt regulators) don’t fly those airlines. After compromising, they will tell their relatives ‘don’t fly that airline’ because they know the health status of those airlines. But innocent Nigerians will fly those airlines.”
Minister Keyamo did not spare London when in August he threatened that Abuja would be forced to deny British Airways and Virgin Atlantic slots at the Lagos and Abuja airports if the Nigerian carrier, Air Peace, was further denied access to Heathrow Airport.
In October, the federal government officially signed the Cape Town Convention (CTC) practice direction to enable domestic airline operators have access to aircraft on dry lease.
FAAN – Gives a new face to airport management
During the year, the managing director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku inaugurated the ‘Operation AirClean’ to address issues of touting, passenger harassment and unprofessional conduct at airport screening points.
Designed to restore order and enhance the overall travel experience for passengers, the managing director ordered the dismantling of search tables at screening points and encouraged the adoption of technology to reduce manual searches, thereby improving the overall passenger experience.
After nearly a year-long reconstruction, FAAN reopened the 3.9km Runway 18R/36L at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in February. Closed in March 2023 for maintenance which was scheduled to last for eight weeks, the rehabilitation stretched into months because of the enormous work needed to be done on the taxiways and on the main runway.
In June, the agency inaugurated 120 arm-bearing officers of the Aviation Security (AVSEC) Special Force as part of its mission to beef up security across airports in the country.
Described as a constructive step to get Nigeria’s aviation security team kitted in line with global standards, the personnel are saddled with the task of securing assets as well as the people within the aviation environment, specifically at the airports.
The airport manager also commissioned the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Wildlife Hazard Control Equipment to curtail the threat of bird strike to aircraft safety as well as began reconstruction of the dilapidated 2.4-kilometre road linking the toll plaza with Gate 13 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
During the year in review, FAAN launched an acculturation programme aimed at inculcating in its staff values and norms that make excellence, efficiency and integrity paramount in the work place as well transform organisational culture.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), in collaboration with FAAN Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU), was on hand to sensitse the employees of Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport, Ibadan that “corruption is a virus” and there is the need to combat it in the workplace.
To protect passengers and airport users, FAAN ordered the closure of a KFC outlet at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport for discriminating against a person with disability.
In the course of the year, Kuku was nominated as the regional advisor for Africa on Airport Council International (ACI) World Governing Board, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja while Port Harcourt International Airport won ‘Airport emergency management and resilience’ award at the 33rd ACI Africa general Assembly in South Africa.
NCAA – The passenger is king
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) during the year in review took passenger complaints up a notch by unveiling consumer protection portal which provides consumers quick access for lodging complaints, collation of data on airline flight operations, real time monitoring of airlines’ punctuality and, on-time performances.
Besides, the portal offers a wealth of resources, including guidelines on consumer rights, tools for reporting grievances, a source for data referencing for the purpose of research and development for informed decision-making, improved services and ultimately, support to Nigerian aviation consumers and the industry.
To practice what it preaches, the authority initiated sanctions against some airlines for violating passenger rights and disregarding regulatory directives. These breaches included failing to issue refunds within the stipulated time frame, mishandling luggage, and ignoring NCAA orders.
The authority suspended the operating licences of 10 private aircraft owners – Azikel Dredging Nigeria Ltd, Bli-Aviation Safety Services, Ferry Aviation Developments Ltd, Matrix Energy Ltd, Marrietta Management Services Ltd, Worldwide Skypaths Services, Mattini Airline Services Ltd, Aero Lead Ltd, Sky Bird Air Ltd and Ezuma Jets Ltd for using their equipment for commercial purposes, in disregard to the letter and spirit of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023 Part 18.3.4 which forbids holders of Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) from using their aircraft for carriage of passengers, cargo or mail for hire or reward (commercial operation or charter services).
It unveiled its Directorate of Air Transport Regulation (DATR) Electronic Portal (E-Portal), designed to designed to enhance service delivery by providing a seamless electronic interface for stakeholders and elevate the aviation sector’s operational standards; commissioned Flight Data Analysis Centre (FDAC) in a bid to strengthen aviation safety oversight, monitor and interpret critical information from flight data recorders (FDRs) and cockpit voice recorders (CVRs); issued accreditation certificate to the Aerodrome Emergency Training School of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria; and recertified the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.
NAMA – Suffering and smiling
In November the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) announced the commencement of the controversial $300 landing fee from helicopter operators.
The agency’s director of air traffic services, Mr. Tayo John, said at the at 53rd annual general meeting of the Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers’ Association (NATCA) held in Kano that collection of the fee would ease the agency’s current financial burden.
He had hardly dropped the microphone when NAMA issued a rebuttal saying the vexed $300 helicopter landing fee had been put on hold since May 2024 to allow for a wider consultation led by Keyamo.
Prior to that the managing director of the agency, Mr Farouk Ahmed had at the 28th edition of the Annual League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) held in Lagos in July, announced the increase in fees and navigation charges by 800 per cent “to enable it (NAMA) survive the challenging macro-economic environment.”
The new unit rate/minimum charge for en-route increased from N2, 000 to N18, 000 from N2, 000 per flight while the new unit rate/minimum charge for terminal navigation charge (TCN domestic) was N54, 000, up from N6, 000 per flight with effect from September 1, 2024.
The extension of hours of service was also reviewed from N50, 000 to N450, 000 per extension.
Days later, the agency issued a statement announcing the suspension of the planned navigational charges increase “following the recognition…of the current economic challenges faced by Nigerians.”
In August, NAMA signed MoU with the Ekiti State Government to provide air traffic services at the newly established Ekiti State Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport in Ado-Ekiti.
To enhance airspace safety and security, NAMA had in June entered into an agreement with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to provide joint training that would address the shortage of air traffic controllers across the country.
NiMet – MoU/press statement rolling plant!
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) signed the most memorandum of understanding (MoUs) and churned out the most press statements than all the agencies in the ministry of aviation and airspace development, nay all the departments and agencies of the federal government put together during the year in review.
Highlights of some of the deals the agency entered into were
*MoU the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) partnered to tackle climate change-related human trafficking. NiMet, in the MoU, is expected to furnish NAPTIP with vital climate data to help anticipate conditions that increase vulnerability to trafficking!
*collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on early warning systems for climate-sensitive diseases and public health threats
*a deal with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) in to strengthen collaboration for mitigating climate impacts and boosting socio-economic development
*MoU with Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) to improve the safety of maritime operations across member states
*an agreement with the Presidential Food Systems Coordination Unit (PFSCU) to enhance the food security dashboard with critical meteorological data
*MoU with the Ogun State government to build a weather station at the state’s cargo airport located in Sagamu.
*an agreement with Bingham University joining forces to strengthen early warning systems in Nigeria
*a collaboration agreement with the Chartered Risk Management Institute of Nigeria to promote best practices in risk management
*partnership deal with Vaisala (Finland) and Meteo France International (MFI) aimed enhancing weather and climate observation, forecasting and the dissemination of early warning information.
*an MoU with Sahel Consulting to strengthen sustainable climate monitoring and tackle early warning system challenges within Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
In the course of the year, the agency *completed its ISO internal audit, intensifying the implementation of quality management standards (QMS) across all departments following training conducted by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to prepare the weather agency for migration to International Standard ISO 21001:2018.
*achieved ISO 9001:2015 Certification at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu at first attempt.
*launched a global learning management system integrated with Microsoft Teams, the NiMet e-learning platform aimed to significantly boost capacity building among staff, enhance global opportunities and collaboration with other organisations.
Air Peace – Challenges lords of the sky!
On March 30, Air Peace launched a direct flight London. The launch was quite a masterstroke which jolted carriers that had hegemonic hold on the Lagos-London route
With the launch the game changed as the airline charged N1.2 million and N4 million as base fares for economy and business classes, respectively.
Consequently, the mega carriers responded by slashing their fares by as much as 60 per cent. For instance, shyster British Airways grudgingly slashed its fare on a return trip to London from between N3.8 million and N4 million to N1, 395,000 while the airfare of Air Maroc flight to London with a stopover in Rabat, Morocco, dropped from N1.5 million to N672, 000 and Air France/KLM dropped to N907, 782 from over N2 million.
In November, the airline partnered with Boeing and Cranfield University to drive safety excellence in aviation. Facilitated by Boeing and Cranfield University experts, the programme provided tools and strategies to enhance safety culture, strengthen risk management, and foster high-performing teams.
Overland Airways – Quits comfort zone
Overland Airways, a conservative carrier that has been operating since 2002 started regional operations with the launch of Lagos-Freetown, Lagos-Banjul services and got fifth freedom right from the Gambian civil aviation authorities.
The airline also launched direct flight between Lagos and Abuja, took delivery of its second Embraer E175 aircraft ordered in 2021 at the Dubai Airshow and got its fifth consecutive renewal of the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification.
Ibom Air – Rolls out the drums
Ibom Air, owned by the Akwa Ibom State government, marked its fifth anniversary; first year on the Lagos Accra route and announced intention to add two or three new Central African destinations in 2025.
During the period, the airline took delivery of its second Airbus A220-300 from Carlyle Aviation and two new Bombardier CRJ 900 next-generation aircraft, bringing its fleet size to a total of nine aircraft – two Airbus A220-300s and seven CRJ 900s aircraft.
To make a positive impact in the communities it operates from, the airline launched the ‘Fight Against Malaria in Pregnant Women and Children Today (FAM-pact)’ programme designed to significantly address the issue of malaria among pregnant women and under-five children, decrease malaria prevalence in the vulnerable groups through a range of strategic interventions, including awareness campaigns, distribution of insecticide-treated nets, provision of malaria medications, and community outreach programmes.
Nahco – Gives back to society, firms up deals
The Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (nahcoaviance) commissioned five borehole projects and donated four to communities in Ondo State and one to a school in Badagry, Lagos State while its chairman, board of directors, Dr. Seinde Fadeni, donated a multi-million naira library block to the Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji – Arakeji, Osun State.
The company also signed ground handling deals with Lufthansa and Royal Air Maroc. The contract with Lufthansa runs from May 1, 2024 to April 30, 2029, while the deal with Royal Air Maroc operates from May 01, 2024 to April 30, 2029.
In addition, ground handling firm also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China’s Suzhou Chamber of International Commerce to deepen economic collaboration and enhance bilateral trade and investment between Nigeria and China.
