Passengers spent N225bn on air tickets in 2011 – FG

By Everest Amaefule Punchng.com

Passengers who used Nigerian airports spent a total of $1.5bn (about N225bn) on the purchase of tickets in 2011, the Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah, has said.

Oduah, who said this in a keynote address she delivered at an interactive forum with aviation stakeholders in Abuja on Monday, also disclosed that 90 per cent of the total revenue from the airports came from the Lagos and Abuja airports.

The minister said 14.6 million passengers used the airports scattered across the country within the year, while 122,700 tonnes of cargo were moved by air within the one-year period.

According to the minister, the nation’s airports handled 50 chartered flights and 300 scheduled flights per day during the period under review.

The aviation sector, she said, employed a total of 60,000 workers in 2011, including 1,835 cabin crew members, 934 pilots, 325 air traffic controllers, 865 aircraft maintenance engineers and 250 metrology personnel.

She said, “Aviation is pivotal to the growth of key economic sectors, including travel and tourism, agriculture production and distribution, rural development, trade and commerce, manufacturing and other non-oil sectors, which are critical to economic transformation of any nation.

“The value chain of creation by aviation is enormous. In order to reposition the Nigerian aviation sector for this role, we consulted widely with industry stakeholders and relevant ministries, departments and agencies to develop a common mission and vision.”

“We have also developed a master plan as well as the implementation framework in confronting the sector’s numerous challenges with a view to providing a safe, profitable and self-sustaining world class industry with a distinct airport experience for flyers.”

The minister lamented that although African countries were making as much as N300bn from the export of agro-allied products and cargo facilities per annum, Nigeria did not have a share of the market.

According to Oduah, Kenya earns $737.6m; Ethiopia, $207.2m; and Egypt, $137.5m annually from the cargo business.

She added that with adequate infrastructure and development of the market, Nigeria could make as much as N120bn or 40 per cent of the market’s revenue in Africa.

Oduah said it was imperative for Nigeria to tap into perishable cargo exports to other nations, adding that the Federal Government would designate some airports in the country for the business.

According to her, the development of the market will reduce rural-urban migration, provide employment for the youth, encourage rural development, encourage direct foreign investment as well as reduce crime rate in the country.