Stakeholders in the Nigerian aviation sector are divided over the Federal Government’s declaration of open skies to 22 African countries and co-signatories for the implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market.
While airline operators frowned at the development as they argued that it was not done in the interest of Nigeria, others insisted that the latter should brace up their operations and join the moving train in the
continent.
The Chairman, Airlines Operators of Nigeria, Capt. Nogie Meggison, who objected to the implementation of the treaty, questioned the win-win claims of open skies.
He said, “The treaty is rather a subtle ploy to ensure Nigeria, with about 65 per cent of the West African population, loosen up to the benefit of other smaller
countries.
“The move cannot be in the best interest of Nigeria where there is no uniform platform for fair competition or adequate consultation with
carriers.”
The Chairman, Aircraft Operators of Nigeria, Capt. Mohammed Joji, explained that Nigeria could not be talking about sky liberalisation where local policies had not favoured local carriers to face their African counterparts.
Joji reiterated perennial problems of foreign exchange, Value Added Tax, multiple taxation, high cost of aviation fuel and policy flip-flop, among others, that had collectively killed over 50 airlines in the last 18 years.
However, aviation consultant, Mr. Chris Aligbe, said, “Whether Nigeria likes it or not, the open skies is already a moving train that may just leave Nigeria behind.
“The agenda had been in the pipeline for quite an age and the operators should blame themselves for not preparing for its
takeoff.”
The Minister of State for Aviation, Mr. Hadi Sirika, said that the development presented great opportunities for the continent in terms of traffic connectivity and significant growth in passenger’s volume, over the next few years.
“Nigeria has already constituted a national implementation committee to review all the subsisting BASAs to be in consonance with the YD, while the process of domesticating the decision is currently at the advanced stage,” he said.
Meanwhile, the disagreement, if unresolved, will hamper the chances of Nigeria benefiting from the initiative.
The open skies treaty gives carriers from 23 signatory countries an unfettered access and multiple destinations to any city of countries under the arrangement, as part of African Union’s move to improve connectivity and integrate African
countries.
The 22 countries that will be freely flying into Nigeria are Benin, Burkina Faso, Botswana, Cape Verde, Republic of Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana and Guinea Conakry. Others are Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Togo, and
Zimbabwe.
