- NAMA scales ICPC anti-corruption hurdle, scores 76.7% ACTU effectiveness index
- Najomo hinges Nigeria’s aviation future on transparent procurement system
- MMA2: A Beacon of Hope for Nigerian Airports
- Airline group raises concern over South Africa’s aviation infrastructure
- Turkish Airlines opens largest Int’l lounge at Tokyo Narita Airport
Absence of night operations costs airlines N50bn yearly

●Aerodromes lack airfield lightings
The bleeding of Nigerian airlines could be curtailed if all the international airports across the country have facilities to ensure 24 hours operations, which could generate additional N50 billion revenue for the industry, Woleshadare.net has learnt.
Experts who spoke to our correspondent said not operating most of the airports in the country cost the airlines enormously, adding that the losses could be over N50 billion annually if they have to put all factors into consideration.
Not a few believe that installation of airfield lighting at all the nation’s airports will boost the revenue of domestic airlines to the tune of about N50 billion annually.
Also, it will help the airlines to fully utilise their aircraft, which has stipulated minimum time it must be flown by their manufacturers.

By 6:00 pm, most airlines begin to shut down because their aircraft can no longer fly to many of the airports. If majority of the airports have airfield lighting, many of these airlines could operate till 10: 00 pm and such airport that are located in the cities such as the ones in Benin, Asaba, Enugu, Owerri, Uyo, Calabar, Ibadan and Akure could have been operating deep into the night. But by 5:00 pm, airlines cancel flights, which they could not operate before 6:00 pm and when they cancel flights, they lose revenue and a bit of their goodwill.
Former President, Aviation Round Table (ART), Capt. Dele Ore, said the situation has really shrunk the market, thereby hampering the prosperity of the carriers who, out of their own volition, end their operations to certain airports because the aerodromes do not have facilities to aid their night operations.
“But you have to look at it in terms of potential additional revenue for operating for longer periods, perhaps into the night. Again, you can also look at it in terms of underutilisation of the aircraft because they are not used for longer periods during the day. So, at the end of the day, you may estimate that what airlines lose should be in the region of N40 billion in a year. But this depends on how many of such airports that you think you can access.