Aviation stakeholders have called for the creation of a five-year plan that will take the industry into 2025 and beyond.
The aviation professionals remarked that the creation and appropriate implementation of the strategies would help the industry to avoid a total surrender of the nation’s tangible and intangible assets to foreigners.
The stakeholders under the aegis of Aviation Safety Roundtable Initiative, in its fourth-quarter meeting, said the plan should include an upward review of the conditions of establishing airlines that would compete effectively by 2025 by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.
“The demise of numerous private airlines and the failure of the government to effectively manage airlines in the past formed the basis for the meeting to advocate a less government intervention and involvement in the business and a relinquishment of control of the future to a business-oriented visionary private sector,” the group said.
It perceived that it had become necessary to reinforce the foundation of the country’s aviation sector to succeed beyond 2025.
The group said, “The minister of aviation is advised to update the nation’s aviation policies and implementation strategies to align with current global aviation realities. To this end, the meeting advocates the decentralisation, digitalisation and devolution of the industry’s operations in preparedness for the anticipated aviation standards of 2025 and beyond.
“The NCAA should encourage Nigerian airlines to restructure their business models towards a better passenger boarding experience and comfort to enhance business competitiveness beyond 2025.”
The ASRTI said it would continually champion research on pioneer professionals in each segment of the sector, and document them for historical purposes.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, and signed by Olumide Ohunayo for the group, the ASRTI said Nigerian airlines should form alliances to develop and entrench commercial comparative advantage principles to enhance their survival beyond 2025.
According to the group, the minister should direct a centralisation and harmonisation of aviation-related infrastructure and data system as the industry approaches the future.
“The nation’s airports should be upgraded and positioned to attract businesses that will take the airports beyond being mere ports to centres of tourism and commerce, and widen airports revenue sources beyond airport fees, charges and taxes,” the group said.
It noted that to achieve the desired result on infrastructure development, airports across the country should be given out to concessionaires to manage.
Among other issues, the ASRTI urged the government to give more attention to the downstream sector of the nation’s aviation industry for the sake of the future, while also advocating the review of the compensation package for civil servants.
“There is a need for more collaborative approach amongst government aviation agencies in projects’ implementation and operations in order to reduce incidence of duplication and wastage as we look towards 2025,” it added.
The group also called for the provision of an enabling environment for the growth of aviation business to reduce the rate of loss of Nigerian aviation professionals to other climes.
