The President, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Nigeria, Alex Nwuba, has disclosed that airport privatisation will help to reduce the subsidy burden on the Federal Government.
In a telephone interview with our correspondent in Abuja, he stated that the privatisation of the airports would also help in commercialising them so that they would be more conscious of customer needs and efficient in terms of service delivery.
“Also, we may look at privatising our airports to make them more commercial so that they will be more responsive to customer needs and much more efficient in service delivery. Also, it will also remove a burden from the Federal Government, especially in the aspect of subsidy because if you are not making money and you will draw from the purse you are not increasing. So, going along the private sector direction through the Nigerian stock exchange will also provide stimulus to the exchange and the economy,” he claimed.
Speaking on his expectation in the aviation industry in 2023, he said,” I think we would continue to improve on safety and airport facilities. As we have pushed forward the national carrier project, I hope it will be reconfigured to make it a Nigerian national carrier.”
He further noted that there is a need to improve regulations in the industry, adding that there should be provision for new policies on the development of the capacity of labour in the market.
However, he said that the aviation university will help in the development of capacity manpower in the industry.
“Nigeria should also improve on the Single Africa Air Transport Market because we need to take advantage of it. Aviation in the future is looking quite good if the right policies are in place and the right steps are taken,” Nwuba said.
