It was a rare alloy of aviation professionals, politicians and academics that convened on Thursday during the First Quarter of the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI) 2023 Breakfast Business Meeting at Golfview Hotels, Ikeja – Lagos, to blaze a trail for the Nigerian aviation sector going forward.
The event which had as theme: “Aviation in Nigeria Beyond 2023 General Elections: Challenges & Prospects” attracted esteemed personalities the likes of Prof. Patrick Utomi, professor of Political Economy and Management, representing Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Dr. Peter Obi; Prof. Anthony Kila, professor of Strategy, Development and Director of the Commonwealth Institute for International Advanced and Professional Studies (CIAPS); Prof. Kayode Soremekun, former Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Oye-Ekiti; Dr. Gbenga Olowo, President, Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI) among others.
According to Prof. Pat Utomi, Nigeria’s aviation sector can only experience a quantum leap post 2023 general elections if special attention is given to intermodal transportation integration.
In his own words: “Serious governments pay attention to transport infrastructure. There is a special distribution of resources, talents and ideas once a good transport network is in place in a country. Without the airline business, there will be no Dubai or Singapore. These countries understood that the strategy to rapid growth should be built around their airlines, and that is the secret to their success”, he said.
He added that perceived capital unavailability, weak institutions and an unwilling political class are responsible for the nation’s economic degradation – challenges which can all be reversed with a sound roadmap, a serious political class and the willingness of airlines to cooperate even when they compete.
On his part, Prof. Kila called on the operators and regulators of the sector to focus on the consumer, as this will ensure the sector remains sustainable. He acknowledged the strides made in attaining high safety standards, but called on stakeholders to do more towards transforming the nation’s airports to attractive touristic sites that will boost the economy.
According to the scholar, “We need to get to a point where airlines move from selling flights to selling tickets”, adding that the changes we desire in the Nigerian aviation sector can only be brought about by those working therein, and not by politicians. To this end, he called on government not to get involved in aviation and instead focus its energies on creating a conducive environment for private individuals to propel the sector.
It was also suggested that data be harmonized to prevent overlapping between government parastatals. Thus integrated, the data should then be used to provide projections for the industry going forward – projections that will guide policy makers as they seek ways to keep the sector buoyant post the 2023 general elections.
