According to him, Abuja has the highest charges, followed closely by Lagos.
The high taxes in Abuja and Lagos airports are unsustainable and will hinder profitability,” said Kamil Al Alwadi, International Air Transport Association Vice President for Africa and the Middle East said in 2023.
According to him, Abuja has the highest charges, followed closely by Lagos.
At the Aviation Africa summit held in Abuja, on September 13-14, 2023, he said this makes it challenging for airlines to operate efficiently in these markets.
He stressed that the $100-a-passenger service charge at Lagos and Abuja airports was the most expensive globally.
Last Thursday, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal broke ground on a new international airport in Gusau, the state capital, touting the project’s potential to transform the economy.
In a push to improve air travel infrastructure, governors in Nigeria are investing in new airport projects, with Abia State’s Alex Otti recently expressing gratitude for the approval of an airstrip project and plans to upgrade to a full airport soon.
This development follows a trend of airport expansion across the country, with 33 airports, 13 airstrips, four military airfields, and 128 helipad sites already in existence.
However, despite this growth, air travel demand decreased in 2023, with 15.89 million journeys taken, down from 16.17 million in 2022.
Notably, just three airports accounted for a staggering 92% of all passenger traffic in 2022, highlighting a significant concentration in the industry. Environmental concerns surrounding air travel have been largely overlooked in the push for development.
According to some observers, the airport building spree in Nigeria is driven more by political vanity than economic rationale.
“In essence, airport development has become a symbol of political prestige, rather than a carefully considered economic strategy,” notes Feyi Fawehinmi, a political commentator and author.
In some cases, state governments in Nigeria have hastily inaugurated airports only to struggle with maintenance and upkeep.
A notable example is the Ebonyi state airport, which was launched last year at a cost of 36 billion naira (£19 million). Just months later, an additional 13.7 billion naira was spent on repairs to the barely used runway.
In a surprising turn of events, the federal government announced in May that it would be taking over the airport from the state government, with a federal official confirming that “FEC approval has been obtained, and we only need to refund the Ebonyi state government” before completing the takeover.
This development highlights the challenges and potential pitfalls of hastily inaugurating airport projects without adequate planning and resources for long-term maintenance.
Nigeria’s Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, justified the recent airport projects as essential social infrastructure for the populace.
He emphasised the need for balanced development across the country, considering its vast size, geopolitical sensitivities, and ethnic diversity.
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