Professionals urged to project aviation sector’s expectations into 2025

Nigeria’s aviation professionals have been tasked to project the country’s aviation sector’s expectations into 2025 with appropriate implementation  strategies in order to avoid a total surrender of the country’s tangible and intangible assets to foreigners.

In a communique issued at the end of the quarterly breakfast meeting organised by the Aviation Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), a non-governmental body in the sector in Lagos, participants unanimously called for a less government intervention and involvement in the business and a relinquishment of control of the future to a business oriented visionary private sector attributing their position to the fact that the demise of numerous private airlines was caused by the failure on the part of government to effectively manage airlines in the past.

The participants at the latest meeting with the theme ‘Nigerian Aviation And Beyond 2025’, also called on the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to  encourage Nigerian airlines to restructure their business models towards a better passenger boarding experience and comfort to enhance business competitiveness beyond 2025.

The regulatory body was advised to review upwards the condition of establishing airlines that would compete effectively by 2025.

The Nigerian airlines were told to continually ensure the provision of an enabling environment for the growth of aviation businesses to reduce incidences of the loss of Nigerian aviation professionals to other climes.

While the minister of aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika was advised to update the country’s aviation policies and implementation strategies to align with current global aviation realities, he was asked to direct a centralization and harmonization of aviation related infrastructure and data system as the sector approaches the future.

For the airports, it was generally agreed that they should be upgraded and positioned to attract businesses that will take the airports beyond being mere ports to centers of tourism and commerce, and widen airports revenue sources beyond airport fees, charges and taxes, to achieve this, the meeting advocated the concession of the airports.