Nigeria’s airports are underdeveloped, grossly underutilised —Nnaji

The airport is the first port of call for visitors to a country and also the last port of call on departure, so the impression an airport creates in the visitor’s mind gives a greater outlook of a country.

This was the position of the chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Honourable Nnolim Nnaji at the 2019 Nigerian Travelsmart (NTM) colloquium held in Lagos.

In a paper titled, ‘Airport Concession and Options  for Airports Development in Nigeria’, Nnaji presented at the colloquium, he declared that Nigeria’s airports were not just underdeveloped, but also grossly underutilised.

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Speaking on the controversy over plans by the government to concession or privatise the four international airports across the country, Nnaji described the move as a sensitive matter that requires empirical data and calculation, which he said will enable “us to arrive at a point of final conclusion, and as a member of the legislature will equip me with enough information to decide on what direction to pursue.”

The lawmaker called for “detailed work to be done in determining what direction the future of airport operation and management in the country should go, for us to achieve better result and have a 21st century airport system in Nigeria. The question is not only whether to privatise or not, but to seek the right direction for improvement and speedy progress.

“Many results emanating from the corridors of air transport research shows that airport expansion and growth is in favour of private equity injection, and management of airports is said to be more efficient under the private sector.”

Nnaji held that Nigeria has not exploited even up to 10 per cent of the possible non-aeronautical revenues because the airports are not yet developed to the level of harnessing the revenue potential available on the land side (non-aeronautical sources of revenue).

“Since 1980 when the push for airports’ privatisation began, it has continued to steer great arguments in favour or against it.

“While the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the umbrella body for global airlines, is strongly kicking against privatisation of airports, Airport Council International (ACI) believes it is the best way to go.”

Speaking on the benefits of privatization, the lawmaker said it reduces the need for public sector investment, provides access to larger commercial sectors, and allows airports to diversify services without the fear of government control and interference.

Nnaji however emphasized the need for the airports to be strengthened as a way of repositioning it towards being viable and attractive to investors  incase of future privatization plan.

He cited the report of the Business of 2017, 2018 and 2019 as a good way to go in achieving a successful airport privatization “following the peculiarities of Nigeria’s airport development structure as itemized earlier. The Summit further suggested the unbundling of Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) which will help to address the basic problem of job loss and unemployment.”

Nigerian Tribune