Experts Advise Nigerian Airlines To Work Together

 

Mr. Nick Fadugba,Chairman of African Business Aviation Association (AfBAA)

Series of advice came from aviation experts on how Nigerian airlines’ working relationship will help them to muster strength to compete with non-African airlines currently dominating the market. At the League of Airports and Aviation Correspondent (LAAC) 23rd Annual Conference and Award held in Lagos last week.

The first to give the advice was the Chairman of African Business Aviation Association (AfBAA), Mr. Nick Fadugba when he said there is much to gain when African airline work together and compete with non-African carriers.

Many foreign airlines are coming into Nigeria making good profit and yet most Nigerian airlines to the best of my knowledge are not making a lot of money. In fact some are quite poorly financially, so we need to do better. You know the international aviation industry has changed dramatically since the days of Nigerian airways, today no airline can succeed working alone.  And therefore I want to once again appeal to airlines in Nigeria to come together, to work together in operations, training, maintenance, we need to partner. Even if we don’t merge we need to partner with one another.

The average fleet size in Nigeria is about maximum 10 aircraft and yet we are competing with British Airways that has over 400 aircraft. Delta airlines have over 500 aircraft even Ethiopian airlines has a 110 aircraft. So how can small airlines compete? And I am not being disrespectful by the way,  the airlines I am not talking about is fleet size, I am not talking about commitment to the industry  but I want to be realistic, because this industry is cut throat. If you don’t have a critical mass in terms of size, in term of good management, in terms of fleet, in terms of good network, it is very hard to succeed.  So we have the market in Nigeria, we are very fortunate but the fact is that our airlines are at the moment not of the size that can compete effectively against the big airlines coming into Nigeria.

Christ Aligbe, the Managing Director of BeluJane Konsult of his part advised Nigerian airline to join African Airlines Association (AFRAA) in order to participate in the global aeropolitics. He said the earlier they are part of the continental body the better. As it stands, despite how important and vibrant Nigeria market is, none of Nigeria airline is a member of AFRAA.

“Aeropolitics is not played at individual airline level. Nigerian airlines need to be part of what is going on in the African Airlines Association (AFRAA)”, said Aligbe.