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LAGOS – With the major infrastructure investment embarked upon by President Bola Tinubu and implemented by Mr. Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the Nigeria’s aviation industry is set for a massive turnaround, Dr. Allen Onyema, the Chairman of Air Peace has said.
Speaking over the weekend in Lagos, Onyema said that the government had pushed forward ambitious plans to address decades-old airport infrastructure challenges, which had limited growth in the system.
He declared that once completed, this would not only improve passenger experience, but also unlock new revenue streams for airlines.
Onyema mentioned inadequate airport infrastructure as one of the most pressing barriers to the growth and profitability of Nigerian airlines.
He noted that the absence of proper transit facilities at key airports had long hindered the country’s ability to function as a true regional hub, costing airlines both passengers and revenue.
According to him, airlines operating in West and Central Africa, lose a competitive edge when connecting passengers as the transiting passengers must clear immigration, undergo customs checks, and recheck their baggage simply to transit through Nigeria, a process that often drives them to other African airports, he said.
He lamented that the lack of seamless connectivity had particularly affected the ability of domestic carriers to integrate regional routes into global connections.
Onyema welcomed the government’s recent interventions, including the plan to rebuild the Lagos airport facilities to accommodate modern transit operations.
He further expressed confidence in the administration’s commitment, noting that with sustained focus, the country could, within two years, possess the infrastructure needed to compete with Africa’s leading aviation hubs.
He added: “Such infrastructure upgrades act as a form of indirect financing for airlines by reducing operational inefficiencies, cutting avoidable costs, and creating conditions for sustainable expansion.
“With the right facilities in place, Nigerian carriers can match the success of leading African airlines within the next decade.”
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