Ibom Air: Govt Agencies Struggling to Offer Basic International Airline Services in Nigeria

Gilbert Ekugbe 

The Chief Operating Officer, Ibom Air, George Uriesi, has stated that institutional Agencies saddled with the responsibilities of ensuring the smooth operation of Nigeria’s airline industry are struggling to provide basic international standard services.

Uriesi at a breakfast meeting of the Nigerian-South Africa Chamber of Commerce (NSACC) in Lagos said the basic support and infrastructure available anywhere in the world to ensure a virile airline industry is very difficult to access in Nigeria, adding that the country currently has sub-optimal domestic airlines but could be much better if given the right support it deserves.

According to him, there is a lack of ability to invest in the nation’s airline sector because it requires huge financial investments

In his words: “The financing is heavy for for us who have ordered for 10 brand new aeroplanes. We know how many hundreds of millions of dollars that is. Presently, we struggle to meet ordinary forex obligations to pay for the things that make the airline work and everything on an aircraft is forex-based. If you cannot get forex, you can never have a developed airline like other countries that have access to forex. One of the biggest problems is that instead of running an airline, we are still struggling to access forex.”

Also speaking, the chairman, NSACC, Mr. Osayaba Giwa-Osagie, said the current economic situation, foreign exchange scarcity, rising inflation, and inadequate infrastructure are factors that are plaguing the sector. 

He stated further that the government must consider stimulus packages to support airlines towards aiding their smooth operations. 

The NSACC boss added that there is a need for the government to implement policies and develop infrastructures that will strengthen the sector.

“Also stakeholders should constantly engage the government on ways to reposition the sector to be profitable and competitive. Air operators should adopt creative initiatives to help manage cost and build efficiencies,” Giwa-Osagie said.

He added that the aviation industry is a veritable tool for income generation and economic development in Nigeria. 

“The Nigeria Aviation industry has grown in size, capital, investment, safety and quality management system. The sector is fundamental in facilitating trade, investment and tourism,” he said.

On his part, the head of research and intelligence, Phillips Consulting Limited (PCL), Samuel Bamidele, said Nigeria’s aviation industry is growing and recovering faster from the pandemic than global projection.

A Senior partner, PCL, Paul Ayim, said the firm launched the aviation Center of Excellence (CoE) as a vehicle to research and disseminate best practices in the sector and facilitate alignment of structure, processes, people and metrics to strategy.