Nigeria’s air passenger traffic to add 10m in 5 years

It is projected that Nigeria’s passenger traffic could increase by 10 million passengers in the next five years, according to Chairman, Airport Business Summit Group, Mr. Fortune Idu.
He stated this in a paper he made available to Woleshadarenews with theme: “Redemption of Lost Airport Opportunities.”
Idu noted that the growth would be facilitated by growing investment interest, emerging airport business district, airport free zone, freighters village and the coming of new airlines.
No fewer than 14,171,722 air travellers went through Nigeria Airports in 2018, according to figures released recently by the Consumer Protection Directorate of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). With the rise in population and growth in air travel, there are indications that the figure could reach 10 million more.

The figure represents 20.8 per cent increase, compared to the 11,221,608 passengers recorded between January and December 2017.
According to the document, the 34 airlines on the international routes operated 15,645 flights and flew 4,079,0789 passengers during the period under review.
The nine domestic airlines operated a total of 59,818 flights and air lifted 10, 092,648 passengers across the country, it added.
It is also projected that passenger traffic will more than double to about 35 million per annum by the same period.
He stated that obviously it has become inevitable that airport facilities must be expanded and modernised to take in the passenger growth.
However, the clearing house (IATA) recently decried the appalling state of facilities at the nation’s aerodromes, noting that Nigeria would need over $30 billion to tackle the malaise.
Idu noted that in one of the workshop conducted with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) about 10 years ago, a futuristic appraisal was carried out on the possible expansion of the airport in anticipation of future increase in traffic.
This issue, he reiterated, was also raised in a benchmarking programme with Manchester Airport where the absence of an airport development master plan was identified as hindrance to proper implementation of FAAN’s airport land concessions, attraction of investors and maintaining a steady path of progress.
He noted that the present Murtala Muhammed International Airport terminal can actually be extended front-wise running down what is presently the airport road up to Nahco junction, stressing that this stretch is more that 1km and about 100m in width as shown in the attached drawings.
According to him, “that two floor structure with an underground tram and luggage conveying system can be developed on this land with modern passenger facilities checking in facilities completely away from the current terminal instead of wasting it. The present MMIA International terminal will then handle only arrival and baggage clearance processes.”
To record the projected figure, experts tasked government on improved infrastructure at the nation’s airports.
They agreed that government had shown commitment to airport development, but it is yet to meet the needs of airport infrastructure and called for greater commitment of funds to modernise airport facilities.
Observing that government may not be able to provide the needed funds, they said that government must initiate policies that would encourage the private sector to invest in airports.
They also called for a review of existing regulations to remove hindrances to private sector participation in the development of airport infrastructure.
Besides, they stated that the commitment of government saw to the commissioning of one of the six international airport terminal with the opening of the ultra-modern airport in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, by President Muhammadu Buhari, late last year.
They stated that infrastructure development is critical to achieving human capital development in any society.
To them, the economic impact that infrastructure improvement has on nation building cannot be over-emphasised.
They added that the growth of any country’s economy hugely depends on the status of its infrastructure, adding that the dearth of needed infrastructure in a given society places serious limitation on human capital development.

Google+

Wole Shadare