How Buhari Can Successfully Revive Nigerian Airways – Transition Committee

Its has been gathered that the Ahmed Joda led transition committee  in its recommendation report urged President Muhammudu Buhari to merging all debtor airlines in the country into a national carrier.

Ahmed Joda

The committee claimed that if this was made possible the airline would serve the West and Central African regions, with Nigeria as the regional aviation hub.

According to Premium Times, six of Nigeria’s leading domestic airlines are currently in huge debts totalling almost N130 billion who has made some of them run to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) for assistance.

The committee asked Buhari to within six months implement a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement involving all airlines with the AMCON and such arrangement would contribute to anational carrier project.

According to the this will increase government revenue from the aviation industry, reduce capital flight, expand the local sector and create more employment opportunities.

A working partnership between the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and the ministries of aviation, finance, industry, trade and investment to incorporate an aviation-focused PPP framework that would enable infrastructure, procurement and upgrade of the sector was recommended.

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The committee highlighted under-utilization as a key challenge in the sector adding that about 75 percent of passenger traffic were from Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja, while Lagos and Abuja generated over 90 percent of the revenue earned.

The committee also asked the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to enforce a capital requirements of N2.5 bn (domestic) and N 5billion (International) for airlines in the next three months  so as to ensure a realistic capital in accordance with global best practices,

While the NCAA does this, the government begin repairs and upgrade of passenger facilities, including air-conditioning systems, luggage conveyor belts, passenger tunnels to ensure better customer experience, increase revenue, and improve the safety of travelers. The Ahmed Joda-led transition committee has also urged Buhari to borrow immediately if he must offset the backlog of unpaid salaries.

According to Joda, in order to deal with crippling fuel crisis, and backlog of unpaid salaries by states and the federal government, Buhari must “borrow immediately or use CBN (Central Bank) advances for salaries and fuel subsidies to avoid chaos.”

 

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