Flying beyond reach, By Dakuku Peterside 

A army officer who served as Nigeria’s Aviation Minister between 1985 and 1993 throughout the Babangida years as soon as remarked that air journey was a luxurious not meant for the poor. On the time, this remark sparked public outrage for its obvious insensitivity. But, greater than thirty years later, that assertion has confirmed eerily prophetic, as air journey has grow to be more and more inaccessible to most Nigerians.

In Nigeria, the importance of air journey is much more profound. With an underdeveloped transportation infrastructure and the dangers posed by street and rail journey, air journey has grow to be each handy and obligatory. Regardless of this significance, hovering ticket costs are reversing a long time of progress, making air journey a luxurious for the rich once more. The hovering prices threaten the accessibility of air journey for the typical Nigerian, proscribing mobility and posing a barrier to financial inclusion.

This drawback can’t be delayed for one more day. It calls for instant consideration and motion. This actuality is compounded by Nigeria’s distinctive financial and infrastructural challenges, which have made alternate options to air journey scarce, unsafe, or unreliable. As air journey turns into more and more out of attain, so do the social and financial advantages it brings, from tourism to job creation. To revive air journey as a broadly accessible service, Nigeria should handle its infrastructural, regulatory, and financial challenges with focused reforms and strategic investments. These investments, if made correctly and with a long-term imaginative and prescient, may remodel the present state of air journey in Nigeria, making it extra inexpensive and accessible for all.

The restricted alternate options to air journey make Nigeria significantly reliant on its aviation sector, particularly given the poor state of the nation’s street infrastructure. In response to a 2023 report by Nigeria’s Nationwide Bureau of Statistics, roughly 60% of the nation’s roads are labeled as “poor,” with many roads riddled with potholes, missing signage, and with out correct upkeep. These situations usually are not solely inconvenient but additionally harmful, as travelling on these roads can result in automobile breakdowns, accidents, and publicity to kidnappings and banditry. Between January and July 2024, over 500 instances of kidnapping have been reported alongside Nigerian roads, highlighting the extreme safety challenges that plague floor transportation. Rail infrastructure, although increasing, stays restricted, overlaying solely 3,500 kilometres in comparison with India’s 65,000 kilometres, a stark illustration of Nigeria’s lag in connecting its huge geography. Water transportation is equally underutilized, with infrastructure inadequacies and security issues making it an unreliable choice for many Nigerians. Air journey holds distinctive significance on this atmosphere as a secure and environment friendly technique of connecting individuals and items throughout the nation.

Nonetheless, the price of air journey in Nigeria has surged in recent times, making it unaffordable for many Nigerians. As an illustration, the worth of a one-way flight between Lagos and Abuja has risen from round ₦75,000 (roughly $47) in 2020 to over ₦170,000 ($100) right now, successfully pricing out the typical citizen.

A number of components are answerable for these hovering costs, with foreign money alternate charges taking part in a major function. Since most aeroplane spare elements are priced in US {dollars} and airline operations are usually denominated in US {dollars} and different stronger currencies, the declining naira implies that Nigerian passengers should pay extra. Aviation gasoline, which now constitutes 40 per cent of airline working prices, has seen a value enhance of over 300 per cent since 2020 because of restricted refining capability and world oil value fluctuations.

Moreover, Nigerian airways are topic to over 15 separate taxes and regulatory charges, starting from value-added tax to passenger service costs. These charges considerably enhance the price of doing enterprise for airways, in the end passing on the burden to customers. Inflation, which has remained above 30 per cent in recent times, compounds these points, decreasing Nigerian customers’ buying energy and additional limiting air journey entry.

These rising prices have profound implications, significantly for a nation the place freedom of motion is significant for financial and social inclusion. The aviation sector isn’t just a mode of transportation however a key driver of financial progress and social mobility. Inexpensive air journey allows Nigerians to entry jobs, markets, and alternatives far past their instant environment. When air journey is reserved for the rich, it limits social mobility and restricts the advantages of a related society. Nonetheless, if made inexpensive and accessible, air journey can promote social inclusion by offering entry to distant and underserved areas, bettering residing requirements and supporting poverty alleviation. This promising imaginative and prescient underscores the significance of restoring affordability and accessibility to air journey in Nigeria.

Given these challenges, Nigeria should undertake a complete method to revive affordability and accessibility to air journey. First, substantial funding in different public transportation infrastructure is crucial. This might be achieved by means of public-private partnerships. Increasing and sustaining long-distance roads and rail networks would relieve demand strain on air journey and supply extra inexpensive choices for Nigerians. Nigeria may look to international locations like India, the place intensive railway networks join rural and concrete areas, offering a dependable and low-cost different to air journey. Enhancing water transportation may additionally provide new options, as Nigeria has over 10,000 kilometres of inland waterways that might be leveraged to maneuver items and folks effectively. Creating these alternate options would enhance mobility and foster wholesome competitors inside the transportation sector, doubtlessly driving down air journey prices and opening new financial and social improvement alternatives.

One other important difficulty is the insecurity that has plagued Nigeria’s transportation community, significantly on roads and waterways. Banditry, kidnapping, and piracy make these modes of journey harmful, prompting extra Nigerians to depend on air journey for security, which will increase demand and, consequently, prices. By addressing safety issues in street, rail, and water journey by means of elevated policing, surveillance, and enforcement measures, the federal government could make these alternate options safer and extra viable. This would cut back the demand for air journey, making a extra aggressive atmosphere that would result in extra inexpensive fares.

The federal government’s function on this course of is essential, and its intervention is critical to revive affordability and accessibility to air journey in Nigeria.

Regulatory reforms are important for making a extra environment friendly and more cost effective aviation sector in Nigeria. By streamlining administrative and regulatory processes, we are able to cut back airline operational bills, resulting in decrease client prices. Nations like South Africa have demonstrated the advantages of streamlined laws, the place simplified frameworks cut back prices with out compromising security requirements. In Nigeria, reforming the aviation sector to scale back bureaucratic hurdles may improve affordability. Tax reform would additionally present important aid. The federal government may cut back airways’ working prices by decreasing aviation-related taxes, doubtlessly reducing passenger ticket costs. In the long run, these adjustments may stimulate the aviation sector, boosting job creation, financial exercise, and elevated connectivity. This potential for optimistic change ought to encourage us to push for these reforms.

Competitors inside the air journey market is one other important element of affordability. By selling the entry of latest airways, Nigeria can foster a aggressive atmosphere that usually results in decrease costs for customers. For instance, competitors between nationwide provider Kenya Airways and native airways has created extra inexpensive choices for customers in Kenya. Nigeria’s latest signing of the Cape City Conference, a global settlement facilitating plane financing, presents a possibility to draw new airline entrants and encourage a extra dynamic aviation market that advantages travellers.

Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo is important in spearheading efforts to make air journey accessible and inexpensive for all Nigerians. To scale back air journey prices in Nigeria, the Minister of Aviation can undertake a number of methods concentrating on taxes, gasoline prices, competitors, infrastructure, and innovation. Decreasing aviation taxes, charges, and redundant costs would decrease airline working prices, permitting for extra inexpensive fares. Subsidies on aviation gasoline or funding in native gasoline manufacturing may stabilize and cut back gasoline prices, a major airline expense. Moreover, establishing a overseas alternate window for aviation may mitigate foreign money volatility.

Encouraging competitors can also be important. Reducing entry obstacles and incentivizing low-cost carriers would make extra inexpensive choices accessible. Bulk procurement of important airline elements, collective insurance coverage, and fuel-efficient operations may additional lower airline prices, benefiting customers. Establishing robust infrastructure alternate options, like high-speed rail, street, and water transport, would relieve demand strain on the aviation sector, thereby driving down costs.

Regional collaboration, comparable to Open Skies agreements with neighbouring international locations, may enhance route choices and affordability. Supporting native upkeep and coaching applications may cut back dependence on overseas experience, reducing labour bills. Lastly, encouraging digital options and a subsidised frequent flyer programme for low-income travellers may make air journey extra accessible.

Past infrastructure and regulatory reforms, establishing an internet grievance mechanism for passengers may enhance transparency and accountability inside the aviation sector. An analogous initiative in India, known as AirSewa, permits passengers to submit grievances on to authorities, making certain quicker response instances and selling a consumer-focused airline trade. Implementing an analogous platform in Nigeria would empower passengers to voice their issues and encourage airways to enhance service high quality.

These initiatives, mixed with streamlined licensing, native talent improvement, and environment friendly operations, would cut back air journey costs and foster glorious connectivity and financial progress in Nigeria. Such a complete method would make air journey extra inexpensive and accessible for a extra important inhabitants.

Nigeria’s aviation sector faces complicated challenges, however with focused reforms and strategic investments, air journey can as soon as once more grow to be a service for all relatively than a luxurious for a choose few. Addressing infrastructure, safety, taxation, and regulation limitations would require dedication and imaginative and prescient, however the potential advantages are huge. By making air journey accessible, Nigeria can improve its connectivity, create financial alternatives, and be sure that all residents profit from a contemporary, cellular society. Restoring air journey as a bridge to alternative will open financial prospects and solidify Nigeria’s dedication to equal entry, inclusion, and nationwide progress. By way of these efforts, Nigeria’s aviation trade can take off, empowering thousands and thousands and supporting the nation’s journey towards a extra related, affluent future.

Dakuku Peterside is a public sector turnaround knowledgeable, management coach, public coverage analyst and columnist.