Dissecting Africa’s aviation resilience amid challenges

Dissecting Africa’s aviation resilience amid challenges

The 81st International Air Transport Association (IATA) Annual General Meeting in New Delhi, India may have come and gone, Africa’s aviation took the centre stage and came under scrutiny as the event highlights growth potential, opportunity and challenges, writes, WOLE SHADARE   Crossroads, challenges Last week, the 81st International Air Transport Association (IATA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) press conference in New Delhi, India, highlighted key insights into the continent’s aviation landscape, revealing promising opportunities and formidable barriers. With…

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Tinubu’s administration restores confidence in aviation sector

Tinubu’s administration restores confidence in aviation sector

President Bola Tinubu’s administration has done remarkably well in aviation. The Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, has matched his words with action to improve the dwindling fortune of the sector, even though he still has a long way in totally turning it around, writes WOLE SHADARE It is two years since Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office as President. The administration before Tinubu’s handed over a sector in need of urgent surgical operations to tackle the…

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MMIA: Decaying aerodrome yearning for transformation

MMIA: Decaying aerodrome yearning for transformation

The age-long decay of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos stares everyone in the face despite FAAN’s intervention to arrest the drift. The disclosure of a new world-class and smart aerodrome by Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo has given way to rays of hope, writes, WOLE SHADARE Hope lost Despite palliative measures from the Federal Government to sustain the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, indications have shown that the terminal can no longer work effectively. The airport terminal is…

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Unserved routes: Can Pan-African airline group plug the gaps?

Unserved routes: Can Pan-African airline group plug the gaps?

While pan-African airline, Air Afrique, is no longer with us, the current aviation market is dominated by non-African airlines. WOLE SHADARE writes that the continent’s carriers can synergise to fill the gap to provide efficient air transportation Slow pace Africa is a rapidly growing continent with a population of well over a billion. Its landmass is around three times larger than Europe’s and is home to some of the planet’s most packed conurbations. Despite an extraordinary population surge over…

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Bird Strikes: The Dangers, Consequences

Bird Strikes: The Dangers, Consequences

The predicaments of airlines are mounting and further exacerbated by the high recurrence of bird strikes, writes WOLE SHADARE Challenges Bird strikes are one of the challenges facing airlines, especially during the rainy seasons. In Nigeria, bird strikes occur at all times. Although the amount of money spent by airlines to repair their aeroplanes is unknown, experts put the figure at over N20 billion annually. A bird strike—sometimes called bird ingestion, birds hit, or bird aircraft…

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Nigeria Airlines’ Manifest Shambolic Service Delivery

Nigeria Airlines’ Manifest Shambolic Service Delivery

Poor service delivery by airlines in Nigeria has reached alarming levels, with indiscriminate rescheduling of flights being a major issue, writes WOLE SHADARE   Bad reputation   Virtually all the airlines in the country seem to be slugging it out for competition for the most egregious offender in flight rescheduling and poor service delivery. Very few offer a modicum of good service while majority of them do not care about the terrible service they deliver…

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Time to address embarrassingly low intra-African air connectivity

Time to address embarrassingly low intra-African air connectivity

Air travel plays a critical role in fostering economic growth, regional integration, and connectivity, yet its demand dynamics in Africa remain underexplored, writes WOLE SHADARE Africa’s transport system is characterised by limited connectivity and underdeveloped infrastructure in many areas, which has historically constrained mobility. However, recent trends reveal a remarkable shift, with air travel demand experiencing a negligible increase, underscoring the continent’s emerging potential within the global aviation market. The continent’s transportation network encompasses a…

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Enugu Airport: Jinxed runway in search of solution

Enugu Airport: Jinxed runway in search of solution

The continued closure of Enugu airport for constant repairs has raised concerns about the sincerity of permanently fixing the problem. It remains a mystery how this runway was fully rebuilt twice in ten years, 2009 and 2019, with the same mistakes made twice to rectify a simple engineering problem that has cost airlines, passengers and the airport authority lost time and revenue, writes WOLE SHADARE Fresh closure  The Akanu Ibiam International Airport was closed to traffic…

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Q1 2025: Delays, cancellations still set aviation backward

Q1 2025: Delays, cancellations still set aviation backward

The aviation industry in first quarter 2025 has not done too badly, but the twin monsters of flight delays and cancellations including high number of lost baggage which continued unabated, have continued to put the sector in a very precarious situation, writes, WOLE SHADARE Slow start The aviation industry in first quarter 2025 started rather slowly for obvious reasons. It is expected that after the last quarter of the previous year, the next quarter in aviation…

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Beyond the ‘disputed’ traffic figure

Beyond the ‘disputed’ traffic figure

Data and statistics are crucial for gauging airline performance as they provide insights into key areas like operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and financial health, enabling airlines to make informed decisions and improve their services. Recent data/statistics said to emanate from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has generated controversy from airlines that based their misgivings solely on the omission of certain number of flights done without reflecting accurately on their in-house figure. Simply put, a…

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