Foreign airlines to discontinue payment in forex to Nigeria

…Clamouring for Facilities face-lift at MMIA

The foreign airlines operating from Nigeria has made their displeasure known in the payment of charges to Nigerian aviation agencies in foreign exchange. To discontinue the status quo, the foreign carriers stated, “that all payments will henceforth be made in Naira”.

The carriers complained that it is against the directives of CBN in dealing in local currency (Naira) as stipulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN Act. The operators under the aegis of Airlines Operators Committee, AOC had written letters to the Nigerian Civil Aviation, NCAA; Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN and Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA to this effect.

The letters with the same content reads, “ In view of the CBN directives on  currency substitution and dollarization of the Nigerian economy. We want to use this medium to advise you that all payments will henceforth be made in Naira. In accordance to the Section 15 of the CBN Act which provides that the unit of the currency in Nigeria shall be the Naira. And also Section 20 sub-section 1 of the act provides that the currency note issued by the bank shall be legal tender in Nigeria at their face value for the payment of any amount and also section 20 sub-section 5 provides that the person who refuses to accept the Naira as a means of payment is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine and also six months imprisonment. In the wisdom of compliance and very difficult peculiar situation in the country we have no other choice but to make all payments in Naira.

We hereby solicit for your understanding in this regard”. One of the foreign airlines’ Country Manager said, “The tickets we sell are in Naira, but we are paying aviation charges in dollars. This is not supposed to be”.

Also the foreign airlines are clamouring for maintenance and over hauling of facilities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. In another letter titled: “MMIA Infrastructural Deficiencies” to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria listed categories of the facilities with instant attention. Category 1: Baggage belt, Air-conditioning at the airport, Apron Depression, Avio bridges (Jetties),  AVSEC Manpower, Equipment and Management, Elevator and Escalator, FAAN and Airlines Service Level Agreement (User Lease Agreement). Category 2: Airport Medical Facilities, Car park for staff, Single Exit point at the Departure hall. Category 3: ULD Storage facility and proliferation of kiosk at the departure.