Interviews

Akin Olateru is Nigerian, United Kingdom and United States licensed aircraft maintenance engineer. In this interview with WOLE SHADARE, he speaks on factors that have elongated the release of accident reports, plan by his agency to release six more crash reports before the end of February and the turn around of AIB to meet challenges of modern accident investigations among others. Excerpts: The recently concluded accident investigation report writing course is an eye opener and critical aspect…

Akinwumi Adesina, who previously served as Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, is the President of African Development Bank (AfDB), which was heavily involved in the just concluded ICAO World Aviation Forum (WAF) held in Abuja, Nigeria, penultimate week. In this interview with WOLE SHADARE, he speaks on myriads of problems confronting the sector in Africa where mortality rate of the continent’s carriers, infrastructural gaps and financing of aviation among others, continue to put…

Emirates Regional Manager, West Africa Commercial Operations, Afzal Parambil, in this interview with WOLE SHADARE, highlights the importance of Nigeria’s aviation market to Emirates Airlines and its connectivity to world’s biggest aviation market, China. He speaks on other issues involving the airline’s fleet expansion policy, among others. Excerpts You were recently posted to Nigeria as Regional Manager for Emirates, but it looks as if you have been here for ages. You seem to know so much…

Kola Olayinka is British Airways’ Regional Commercial Manager (West Africa). In this interview with WOLE SHADARE, he talks about how the carrier survived the high operating environment occasioned by the recession that affected businesses. He, however, still sees hope for the airline industry in Nigeria and explains why BA is bringing back its iconic B747 on the Lagos -London route. Excerpts   Have all the airlines, including BA, received all their trapped funds? I think…

  Kola Olayinka is British Airways Regional Commercial Manager, West Africa. In this interview with WOLE SHADARE, speaks on the challenges on his carrier in the country’s aviation industry, how the country is working its ways out of recession by turning the corners in air transportation, the re-introduction of its iconic B747 aircraft on the London-Lagos route and other issues affecting aviation in Nigeria. Excerpts:   What were the issues BA faced in the last two years including…

Akin Olateru is Commissioner, Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB). In this interview with WOLESHADARE, he speaks on the concession of five per cent from Passenger Service Charge (PSC) revenue allocation to the agency, which seems to have unsettled some stakeholders. He also speaks on his plans to revamp the agency and turn its accident investigation laboratories to research institutions. Excerpts There is so much controversy over concession of five per cent revenue to AIB from FAAN’s Passenger Service…

President, International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Dr. Olumuyiwa Bernard Aliu was in Nigeria. He explains the future of Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) in Africa and other issue after inspection of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport terminal and the runway. Excerpts How do you see the future of RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft System) in Africa? I think the phenomenon of RPAS, the expansion is taking place all over the world and I am sure in Africa, it will…

Raphael Kuuchi is the Vice-President, International Air Transport Association (IATA) for Africa. He has worked tirelessly to help IATA achieve its aim in air transport safety in the continent. He spoke to WOLE SHADARE at the just concluded IATA 73rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Cancun, Mexico on air transport liberation, high taxes in aviation and how the continent’s airlines can be profitable and offer quality services to passengers. Excerpts IATA’s AGM just ended, what…

Capt. Fola Akinkuotu is the Managing Director of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA). He has worked in the aviation Industry for 44 years. He was at various times, Rector, Ilorin Aviation Training School before he served briefly as Director-General Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). In this interview with WOLE SHADARE in Kaduna, he spoke on the plan by the Federal Government to provide Instrument Landing Systems (ILSs) in 11 airports across the country, the hard…