The Federal Government of Nigeria has expressed its readiness to collaborate with and support the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) in their efforts to improve the quality of their services. Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, made this commitment during a courtesy visit by members of AON, led by Mr. Abdulmunaf Yunusa, at his office in Abuja.
During the meeting, the Minister emphasized his open policy, stating, “One of my policies is to operate with transparency, so please bring up any challenges you face, so that Nigerians can understand the position of the Government and the Airline Operators.”
Keyamo assured the AON members that there could be a possible review of all Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASA), emphasizing the importance of the AON renewing and maintaining their aircraft fleets to attract more passengers.
Furthermore, the Minister urged investors to establish commercial Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) companies in Nigeria. He pledged to develop a forward-looking master plan during his administration to position Nigeria as an aviation hub in Africa.
Dr. Abdulmunaf Yunusa, the President of AON, presented a paper through Captain Roland Iyayi, highlighting the constraints and challenges facing airline operators and proposing potential solutions to Nigeria’s aviation industry.
The challenges identified include foreign exchange, the availability and cost of Jet A1 fuel, issues related to capital and funding, infrastructure constraints, and government policies.
As part of their proposed solutions, AON requested licenses for Jet A1 importation and distribution through strategic partnerships. They also called for an immediate review of all industry taxes, fees, and charges and the renegotiation of existing Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASA) and Multilateral Air Service Agreements (MASA) in line with the provisions of the Single Africa Air Transport Market (SAATM), with a focus on reciprocity in favor of domestic airlines. Implementing these measures would provide relief to the Nigerian domestic airline industry and ensure its sustainability.
The meeting ended with Minister Keyamo expressing his dedication to collaborating with AON to address their concerns and enhance the Nigerian aviation sector.
