The Minister of Aviation, Mr. Osita Chidoka, has said that the federal government is currently discussing with private investors on the possibility of re-establishing a national carrier for the country.
This is as the minister said that the country would require at least $2bn over the next four years to rebuild old terminals and construct new ones.
Chidoka, in a statement said that re-establishing a national carrier for the country became necessary to ensure growth of technical personnel in the aviation industry.
He added that the new national carrier would be commercially operated and handled by proven professionals.
He said: “Conversations are on across many possible private sector organisations, both local airlines in Nigeria and some international airlines. We are totally changing the face of four key airports. Nigeria is studying the possibility of attracting private capital to do that.”
Chidoka noted that while countries like Ethiopia and Kenya had emerged as global players in aviation industry, Nigeria was yet to have a national carrier after the collapse of Nigeria Airways about a decade ago.
He stated that the absence of a national carrier for the country had allowed fast-expanding Gulf operators such as Dubai-based Emirates to join older European players in grabbing the most lucrative long-haul traffic in Nigeria.
The government had in 2013 signed a $500m loan agreement year with the Export-Import Bank of China to fund new terminals in four cities including the capital Abuja, the commercial hub of Lagos, the southern oil centre of Port Harcourt and the northern city of Kano.
The contract is still being handled by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, CCECC.
The government is also building 13 cargo airports across the country for the export of perishable agricultural produce such as pineapples, mangoes and tomatoes.
About $1bn has been provided by the state for the current plans, with another $1bn earmarked within the project’s duration of four years, according to Chidoka.
The number of air passengers traveling both domestically and internationally in Nigeria surged to 3.75 million last year from 520,263 in 2003, according to World Bank data.
“Privatisation of some operations of the airports may be on the cards,” said Chidoka. “It will most likely be airport management, things like that, collecting of revenues, managing lounges. We have to build infrastructure that matches our aspirations.”
