The minister of aviation, Mr. Hadi Sirika has defended Nigeria’s quest for a national carrier saying with 200 million people and rising middle class, the propensity to fly is high.
The minister stated this when he responded to questions by CNN’s Richard Quest at the global aviation summit held in Dubai.
“Nigeria is situated at the centre of Africa, equidistant from all locations in Africa. 30.4 million square kilometres miles, 1.5 billion people, very green land. If Central and Eastern Africa is the belt of the continent, than Nigeria is the buckle. Two hundred million people and rising middle class, propensity to fly is high. Nigeria is a candidate for national carrier.”
He recalled that when the current administration berthed in 2015, “we were committed to a roadmap to establish a national carrier, to concession the airports, to set-up a leasing company, to establish cargo facilities and we have been doing that.”
Asked if the airline would be going private sector-driven, Sirika said: “Private. Yes. 5 per cent government and no government stepping right in that company, no government control, no membership of government on board. Totally private and committed.”
Asked again if government would be able to keep its hands off the new carrier, Sirika said emphatically that there would no government interference.
“Whatever we say we will do. As a government since 2015, it has happened. That is why Tim Clark’s Emirate, Qatar Airways and all of them are looking to go into Nigeria in multiple frequencies and multiple landing points because Nigeria is the right place for airline business,” he added.
On one change he would love to see when his time ceases as a minister, Sirika replied: “I would like to see that Nigerian aviation industry continues to be, is private sector-driven and there is more efficiency and safety in the sector and given that we have added 50 million capacity to four airports recently.
“We are building more runways and treating the issue of air navigation services (ANS) and all of those things that will make aviation smooth, efficient and safe and most preferred option of travel. And if you look at it continentally, Africa, the only way African Union (AU) agenda 2063 can be achieved is by aviation because rail and road take tremendous quantum of money to establish and to maintain in a continent of about 54 countries and 30.4 million square kilometres.”
