‘Foreign carriers dominate Nigeria's airspace’

According to Mr Adedayo Olawuyi, Chief Commercial Officer of United Nigeria Airlines, the prevalence of foreign carriers in Nigeria's aviation market can be attributed to the weakness of domestic airlines, which lack the strength to compete effectively as local and regional operators. This weakness has enabled airlines such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, and Asky Airlines to dominate the Nigerian market.

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Olawuyi noted that these foreign carriers have built extensive networks, allowing passengers from Nigeria to connect to multiple destinations, during a recent courtesy visit to the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents in Lagos.

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He emphasized that Nigerian carriers need to expand their regional operations and offer direct services to destinations across West Africa in order to compete with foreign airlines.

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Olawuyi explained that the challenge facing Nigerian aviation is the lack of strong domestic and regional operators, citing examples of foreign carriers such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, and Asky Airlines, which have multiple flights into the country.

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He pointed out that many passengers do not necessarily travel to the hubs of these foreign carriers, such as Dubai or Doha, but rather use them as connecting points to other destinations, highlighting the need for Nigerian carriers to provide direct services.

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Olawuyi stated that the only way for Nigerian airlines to end the dominance of foreign carriers is to compete in their markets, citing the example of a passenger traveling from Lagos to Dakar, who could be offered a direct service by a Nigerian carrier instead of having to connect through multiple destinations.

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However, Olawuyi noted that operating regional routes remains challenging for local airlines, as deploying large aircraft on routes with low passenger traffic can be commercially unsustainable.

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He explained that using a Boeing 737 with 150 or 160 seats on a route with fewer than 40 passengers per day in each direction is not viable, which is why many carriers in West Africa have had to optimize their operations.

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Olawuyi said that one approach being tried is to "right-size" the market, ensuring that the capacity of the aircraft matches the demand in that market, rather than simply deploying a large aircraft and trying to fill it.

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Another strategy is to stimulate the market, as Olawuyi noted that starting a new flight can lead to a doubling of traffic within 12 months, citing the example of a potential route between Nigeria and the Ivory Coast.

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According to Olawuyi, the biggest challenge facing Nigerian carriers is infrastructure, particularly the difficulty of connecting between domestic and international flights, which can take up to two hours due to traffic.

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Olawuyi praised the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and noted that efforts are being made to address the transit issue, including the development of a new facility at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

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He hopes that this new facility will improve regional to regional connectivity, but noted that domestic to regional and international connectivity remains a problem, highlighting the need for a proper connecting airport to enhance the country's aviation industry.