We May Shut Down Nigeria’s Airspace, NCAA Boss Warns

ABUJA – Director-General of Nigeri­an Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Musa Nuhu, on Thursday told the House of Representatives that unless ur­gent steps are taken to address the current situation in the aviation industry, the agency might be forced to shut down the nation’s airspace to ensure the safety of Nigerian travelers.

Captain Nuhu spoke just as the House directed the Ni­gerian Midstream and Down­stream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to do everything possible to disman­tle the cartel growing in the industry that has suddenly jacked up the price of aviation fuel to its current price of N670 per liter from its usual price of N190 and the non-availability of the product.

But Executive Director, Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure of NMDPRA, Ogbogu Ukoha, insisted that there was enough Jet A1 in the country to last for 34 days.

Speaking at a meeting be­tween the leadership of the House led by Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Idris Wase, over the current scarcity of Jet A1, the NCAA boss who expressed sur­prise at the sudden increase in Jet A1 said the safety of passen­gers was key to his mandate, pointing out that with the way things were going currently, he might be forced to shut down some airlines and by extension, the airspace to ensure safety.

“I don’t want to appear be­fore any committee either here in the House or in the Senate to explain what happened to airline ABCD. So, we must do something fast to address this situation so that things will not get out of hand,” he said.

He added that currently, flights were being delayed or canceled as a result of sup­posed scarcity of aviation fuel and the sudden increase in prices which, he said, has been happening on a daily basis.

He informed that as a result of the increase in the cost of operation of the airlines, they might be forced to shut down their operation, an action which, he said, would have an ad­verse effect on the economy of the country. Read more

Qatar Begins Flight Operations to Kano, Port Harcourt

Qatar Airways has announced the launch of four weekly flights to Kano and three weekly flights to Port Harcourt.

According to the airline, these flights will connect to both locations through Abuja.

In a statement, the airline said, “Qatar Airways will operate to Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and the gateway to Kano’s rich historical treasures that have survived millennia.

“Meanwhile, Port Harcourt, the largest city and capital of Rivers State, Nigeria will be served via Port Harcourt International Airport, a diverse and fast-moving city on the southern tip of Nigeria. More than a century of international trade has turned this former port town into a vibrant, fast-growing metropolis.”

The group Chief Executive, Qatar Airways, Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said, “This is a defining moment for Qatar Airways, with Nigeria becoming our most connected market in Africa with the launch of our new services to Kano and Port Harcourt.

“We see tremendous opportunity in the region and these new routes are an important catalyst to further boost trade and commerce in the country. Our presence in Nigeria now covers four key markets and is a real affirmation of our support to the country.

“Qatar Airways has stayed steadfast in its commitment to Africa throughout the pandemic, operating continuously and reliably to Nigeria. We have since increased frequencies and grown our network considerably, improving connectivity to and from the continent and providing travelers with more choice and convenience.”

The airline added that with its two new routes, it will start operating 188 weekly flights between Africa and Doha. It said it was now serving 28 destinations across the continent.

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said, “The new flights provide important travel and trade links between Nigeria and the world.

“As the largest economy in Africa, this enhanced global connectivity via the new Qatar Airways service will provide a vital network to move goods and people, as we recover from challenges of the pandemic and prioritize growth.

“Kano and Port Harcourt are both important to this recovery. This new service also reinforces the close ties between Nigeria and Qatar, and it paves the way to explore new, untapped opportunities.”

NAAPE Urges FG to Intervene in Aviation Fuel Scarcity Crisis

The National Association of Aircrafts Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) has called on the Federal Government to immediately intervene in the ongoing aviation fuel crisis in order to avert job losses. In a statement signed by the national president  Abednego Galadima, the association said it is worried that if allowed to persist, may cause much harm to the aviation industry.

“We have observed that the hike in the price of aviation fuel in the country and the scarcity of the products is capable of crippling domestic operators and by extension, the Nigerian aviation industry. “We are very worried about this issue as it has made traveling very difficult for passengers and caused much disruption in the operations of domestic airlines.

“The industry is still recovering from the negative impact of the pandemic and many airlines haven’t completely recovered. If this issue of scarcity is not immediately addressed by the Federal Government, not only would the airlines be negatively impacted, the ripple effect will be felt in the aviation downstream sector which may lead to job losses.

“It has been reported that the House of Representatives will convene a meeting of industry stakeholders with a view to solving the issue. But we don’t want it to stop at that.

“The executive arm of government, should as a matter of urgency, address the issues causing the scarcity and price hike so that normalcy can return to the industry,” Galadima said.

African Airlines’ Cargo Up12.4% In January 2022 –IATA

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for global air cargo markets showing African airlines saw cargo volumes increase by 12.4 percent in January 2022 compared to January 2021. The region was the strongest performer as capacity was 13.0 percent above January 2021 levels.

IATA however said that the industry generally experienced slower growth in January 2022 as supply chain disruptions, capacity constraints, as well as a deterioration in economic conditions for the sector dampened demand.

Global demand was up 2.7 percent compared to January 2021 (3.2 percent for international operations) but this was significantly lower than the 9.3 percent growth seen in December 2021 (11.1 percent for international operations).

Capacity was 11.4 percent above January 2021 (10.8 percent for international operations). While this is in positive territory, compared to pre-COVID-19 levels, capacity remains constrained, 8.9% below January 2019 levels.

IATA’s Director-General, Willie Walsh, said, “Demand growth of 2.7 percent in January was below expectation, following the 9.3 percent recorded in December. This likely reflects a shift towards the more normal growth rate of 4.9 percent expected for this year. Looking ahead, however, we can expect cargo markets to be impacted by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Sanction-related shifts in manufacturing and economic activity, rising oil prices, and geopolitical uncertainty are converging. Capacity is expected to come under greater pressure and rates are likely to rise. To what extent, however, it is still too early to predict.”  Russia Ukraine conflict will have a negative impact on air cargo as airspace closures will stop direct connectivity to many markets connected to Russia. Overall, the impact on global markets is expected to be low as cargo carried from within Russia accounted for just 0.6 percent of the global cargo carried by air in 2021. Several specialized cargo carriers are registered in Russia and Ukraine, particularly those involved with heavy lift operations.

Sources: Daily Independent, SunNews, Punch Newspaper