Liberalisation, key to Africa’s aviation growth-Minister

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Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has said that for the aviation industry to be transformed in Nigeria in particular and Africa in general, the principle of Yamoussoukro Decision should be made sacrosanct.

He said it is exactly what has helped the European nations to develop the aviation community, adding that Nigeria must not be left behind, but would take advantage of the liberalisation of the airspace, otherwise known as the Yamoussoukro Decision.

The minister said this in a paper he sent to Woleshadare.net on his position on what is generally referred to as Africa’s ‘Open Skies.’

His words: “My take is that Yamoussoukro Decision is sacrosanct. It is what we need to transform our industry. It is exactly what has helped the European countries to develop the aviation community. Nigeria will not be left behind. We will take advantage of it. We are for it.

Then we are also for Open Skies, even though it may look at the moment to our disadvantage when you look at Ethiopia with Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya with Kenya Airways, South Africa with South African Airways, Morocco with Air Maroc and so on.

“There are airlines and there are many aircraft going from one place to another, it is not the case with Nigeria, which is very unfortunate.

But regardless, I think it will give us advantage and very soon when we establish our own national carrier, it will seem that we are going to be a major beneficiary,” he added.

He said with an estimated 180 million population, 22 airports serving all nooks and crannies of the country, the future is bright for aviation in Nigeria.

Africa is said to be home to 12 per cent of the world’s people, but it accounts for less than one per cent of the global air service market.

Part of the reasons for Africa’s under-served status, according to a just-published World Bank study, “Open Skies for Africa – Implementing the Yamoussoukro Decision,” is that many African countries restrict their air services markets to protect the share held by state-owned air carriers.

Just recently, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said Nigeria and 11 other African nations can generate 155,000 jobs and $1.3 billion in annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) if air transport is liberalised.

According to a report published by IATA, the 12 nations setting out the considerable social and economic benefits of intra-African air service liberalisation are Nigeria, Algeria, Ethiopia, Angola, Egypt, Ghana and Kenya. Others are Namibia, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia and Uganda.

The study by the experienced independent economic consultants, InterVISTAS, outlined the benefits that would accrue if the 12 African nations were to implement the 1999 Yamoussoukro Decision.

The Yamoussoukro Decision committed 44 signatory countries to deregulating air services and to opening regional air markets to transnational competition.

The implementation of this agreement, however, has been slow and the benefits have not been fully realised. IATA, the clearing house for 280 global airlines disclosed that a potential five million passengers a year are being denied the chance to travel between these markets because of unnecessary restrictions on establishing air routes.

“Furthermore, employment and economic growth are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the benefits of connectivity.

Aviation is a force for good and plays a major role in helping to reach the African Union’s mission of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa. Aviation already supports 6.9 million jobs and over $80 billion in GDP across Africa.”

It urged governments to support the growth of the industry by fully liberalising African skies as intended by the Yamoussoukro Decision, while providing other facilitator assistance such as implementing global standards in safety, security and regulations, reducing high charges, taxes and fees and removing visa requirements for ease of movement across the continent.

Wole Shadare