FG To Partner Airline Operators For Economic Development 

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, says the Federal Government is ready to partner and support Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON once they are ready to raise the standard of their services.

The Minister stated this when members of the Airline Operators of Nigeria led by Dr. Abdulmunaf Yunusa, paid him a visit in Abuja.

Keyamo said the visit by the AON was a follow-up of a private visit made earlier by the association, saying “I don’t want to operate as a ghost, I said one of my policies is to operate an open policy… I said, bring up your challenges so that Nigerians would understand exactly where Government airline operators stand’.

Disclosing his readiness to support the growth and sustenance of the local airline’s operators while holding them to the highest international standards in the aviation industry, Keyamo noted that they are critical to the growth and development of the aviation industry and the country at large, hence the government is ready to help them operate profitably.

The Minister assured of a possible review of all BASA agreements, stressing the need for AON to renew and repair their fleets to encourage passenger patronage.

He also pleaded with the airline operators to cooperate among themselves to find a way to establish their businesses such that they will have enough capital base to survive instances like Covid 19 pandemic.

Keyamo promised to suggest to the government the possibility of AON  accessing facilities at single digits, including Associated Foreign Exchange, and to meet their foreign obligations.

While welcoming investors to establish commercial MROs in Nigeria, the Minister noted that during his administration, a futuristic master plan will be developed to accommodate everything that will make Nigeria an aviation hub in Africa while employing all airlines to utilize their Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASA) routes to reduce the prices of airfare.

Earlier, the President of AON, Dr. Abdulmunaf Yunusa presented a paper through Captain Roland Iyayi who highlighted some of the constraints and challenges and probable solutions to the Aviation industry.  Among the challenges highlighted are:  foreign exchange, Jet A1 fuel, cost of capital and funding options, infrastructure, taxes, fees as well as government policies.

AON while proposing a solution requested licenses for Jet A1 importation and distribution through strategic partnership and an immediate review of all industry taxes, and fees.

They also called for an immediate renegotiation of all existing BASAs and Multilateral Air Service Agreements (MASA) in line with the provision of the Single Africa Air Transport Market (SAATM), with emphasis on the principle of reciprocity in favour of the domestic airlines.