Scrambling for Nigeria’s air transport

GRADUALLY Nigeria’s air transport scene is loosely being taken over by international airlines under the guise of the existing Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASAs) between Nigeria and their home countries.

As at the last count, Nigeria must have signed BASAs with over 100 countries around the world for seamless commercial air transport.

Some of the foreign carriers have been operating into Nigeria for more than 50 years unhindered due to the obvious fact that they see Nigeria as a fertile ground where anything/seed planted grows no matter the circumstances.

Besides the international carriers from Europe, America, Middle East, African airlines are not left out of the rush for the soul of Nigeria’s air transport sector.

Presently, Nigeria seems to be going through what looks like another ‘scrambling and partition’ of its aviation potential as witnessed in the growing influx of foreign carriers into the country.

Apart from the presence of international carriers like the British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Air France/KLM, Lufthansa, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Delta airlines, United Airlines, African airlines also operating to Nigeria include Ethiopian, South African Airways, Kenya, Royal Air Maroc, Egypt Air, Asky, RwandAir.

In addition, other countries whose airlines may soon commence flights to Nigeria are Brazil, Angola, Tanzania, Tunisia, Air Zimbabwe and many more.

Regularly, top officials of the foreign countries rush to pay visits to the Minister Of Aviation And Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, where the need for exploring air transport agreement between their home countries and Nigeria regularly receives attention.

Even the airlines that are already flying to Nigeria like South African Airways and Ugandan airlines are expanding their frequencies.

Absolutely, the scrambling for the soul of Nigeria’s aviation sector is a pointer to the reality that Nigeria, besides being the giant of Africa and being strategically positioned, becomes almost the most liberal country where foreign businesses enjoy unlimited space.

Again, it is clear that while other countries including the Africa are neck deep in international aero politics for the protectionism of their Airlines, Nigeria has continued to open up its air transport market without recourse to putting its house in order to tap from the inherent benefits in such agreements.

Amidst the disadvantageous agreements, which the foreign airlines are exploiting, zero energy is coming from the Nigerian side where only one of its airlines, Air Peace precisely is reciprocating one of the several BASAs under a very hostile scenario.

However, at this point, no one should blame the foreign airlines for the negligence of the Nigerian government who have chosen to throw open its market to foreign airlines while it totally failed to strengthen its domestic air transport.

The foreign airlines and their home countries have only used their smartness and superiority of business intelligence to ride on Nigeria’s government insensitivity towards the precarious state of its domestic air transport scene, brought about by the lacuna available in its foreign agreements, which have greatly contributed to the poor performances of its indigenous airlines.

The global air transport rules advocate seamless connectivity across the world. However, it’s unfortunate that while other countries are working to improve their air transport by implementing strong and supportive policies to elevate their local airlines to international standards, the Nigerian government seems more focused on opening up its aviation sector to foreign countries, rather than supporting its own carriers.

According to an adage that says ‘one man’s weakness is another man’s strength’, the foreign countries and their airlines only capitalize on the loopholes in the system to make the mincemeat of Nigeria.

At this juncture, if the federal government fails to strengthen  its domestic air transport and continues to sign agreements with every country, domestic airline business will not only disappear, but the situation will equally give room for foreign airlines to take over the business of air transport in the country.

Unfortunately, these same countries Nigeria is signing BASAs with do not like Nigeria and its investments as witnessed in the hostilities they often display towards anything Nigerian in their countries.

Even the fellow African countries are not left out of the racial profiling of Nigerians and the targeting of any Nigerian carrier designated to such countries. There is, therefore, the need for the government to take precaution against further signing more agreements while at the same time the existing BASAs should be thoroughly reviewed in the interest of Nigeria.

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