For decades, Nigerian airlines have lamented a predatory operating space where high charges, taxes and levies put them at a disadvantaged position compared to their foreign competitors who enjoy greater support from their host countries.
This, they said, grossly erodes their profitability and perpetually leaves them vulnerable and flying on strained wings. The complaints have intensified in recent months, drawing the attention of international aviation bodies and prompting responses from the airport authority.
At the heart of the debate is whether the charges imposed on Nigerian airlines are genuinely excessive, as operators claim, or a necessary measure to address decades of underinvestment in the country’s aviation infrastructure.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has spoken in support of the airlines. At its Focus Africa Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, IATA called on African governments to prioritise aviation as a strategic enabler of economic and social development, urging them to pursue a comprehensive aviation strategy built around safety, cost-competitiveness, energy security, sustainability, and ease of doing business.
IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil Alawadhi, said: “Aviation is economic infrastructure for Africa.”
