A former Nigerian Airways pilot, Capt. Mohammed Gbadamasi, has stated that most state-owned airports in Nigeria are struggling to attract sufficient traffic to sustain their operations. According to him, only four of Nigeria's federal government-owned airports are currently commercially viable. These airports are located in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Kano. Gbadamasi made this disclosure in a recent interview, highlighting the challenges faced by many state-owned airports.
Gbadamasi identified a few other airports that are beginning to show signs of partial commercial viability. These include airports in Calabar, Imo, Uyo, and Osubi in Warri. However, he noted that the situation remains difficult for most of the airports built by state governments. Out of almost 19 state-built airports, only a few are struggling to keep their head above water level. The financial burden on these airports has been worsened by the transfer of some state-owned airports to the Federal Government.
The transfer of state-owned airports to the Federal Government has left already-strained government agencies to shoulder their liabilities. Gbadamasi attributed much of the poor performance of these airports to their proximity to larger airports. He argued that it could take years for some of them to become commercially sustainable. The close proximity to larger airports has limited the viability of these state-owned airports.
Gbadamasi also cited Nigeria's weak tourism industry as a major factor limiting the usefulness of smaller airports. He stated that the absence of a tourism culture in the country is partly responsible for the non-viability of these airports. In contrast, East Africa has successfully utilized smaller airports close to major aviation hubs to connect tourists to different destinations, supported by smaller aircraft.
The former pilot proposed an integrated travel system to unlock the potential of Nigeria's airports. He advocated for a system that enables people to visit different parts of the country with a single flight ticket that covers flight, hotel, and transportation. This system would require collaboration between airlines, hotels, and transportation providers.
Gbadamasi believes that the development of such a tourism ecosystem would benefit several sectors, including airports, airlines, hotels, and transporters. He emphasized the need for long-term development of the airports, rather than short-term solutions. The implementation of an integrated travel system would require significant investment and planning.
To move forward, Nigeria's aviation industry needs to develop a robust tourism sector that can support smaller airports. This would involve collaboration between government agencies, airlines, and private sector stakeholders. The goal is to create a sustainable and commercially viable aviation industry that benefits from tourism and other sectors.
Key points
- Only four of Nigeria's federal government-owned airports are commercially viable.
- Most state-owned airports struggle due to proximity to larger airports and a weak tourism industry.
- An integrated travel system could unlock the potential of Nigeria's airports.
