NIGERIA: Addressing Passenger Traffic

A lot of people think that air transportation is for Nigeria’s rich elite. That explains why less than one per cent of the nation’s population travels by air.

There are two factors that experts say constrain more people from travelling by air. One is the income of average Nigerian and two is poor connectivity. Airlines flight schedule is tailored towards maximisation of load factor and so it does not connect to certain destinations where there could be potential traffic but currently have not been developed like Warri to Port Harcourt, Eket to Lagos etc.

However, for air travel to develop, there must be more people that would travel by air and when that is done Nigerian airlines would become profitable. How can this feat be achieved?

Recent survey conducted in the aviation industry by Philips Consulting showed that the number of Nigerians that travel by air is increasing and that brings to the fore whether the facilities on ground, the services and the whole airport environment enhance passenger movement and comfort.

According to the report by Philips Consulting, those who responded to the survey showed that 69 per cent of them had travelled to domestic destinations and most of them (76 per cent) booked their flights online.

But challenges frequently experienced in booking online include unstable Internet connections (35 per cent), inconsistent ticket pricing (27 per cent) and online payment difficulties.

The major determinant factors passengers considered, according to the report were price and safety. Respondents to the survey gave affordable pricing, 23 per cent; high safety standards, 22 per cent and good quality of service, 21 per cent. These were the three most important factors that majority of respondents said determined their choice of airlines.

“On the other hand, a high rate of flight delays and cancellations (21 per cent), poor quality of service (20 per cent) and low safety standards (17 per cent) were revealed as major reasons why many customers avoided certain airlines,” the report said.

On travel experiences, virtually all respondents (90 per cent) have experienced an experienced flight delays or cancellations, with 36 per cent regarding it as a regular occurrence. Many, 58 per cent said they have experienced prolonged delays in retrieving their luggage on arrival at their destinations.

On a positive note, the report said, 70 per cent have never had their checked-in luggage misplaced by airline staff or baggage handlers during travels.

The report said the most frequented airports terminals are the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Terminal 2 (MMA2), Lagos (42 per cent), Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja (21 per cent), General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos (14 per cent) and Port Harcourt International Airport (10 per cent) were the most frequented airports of departure for a combined 87 per cent of respondents.


Philips Consulting survey said most respondents were satisfied with the ease of access to, from and within airports. However, 31 per cent were dissatisfied with the availability and costs of using luggage trolleys.

The report noted that in Nigeria, domestic passenger traffic has increased remarkably over the past decade.

“This has been achieved through the increase in the number of airline operators, increasing flight frequencies and the (re)construction of airports in various states, hence enabling flight route connectivity. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the Lagos domestic airport has experienced the largest amount of passenger traffic, with an average of 4 million passengers annually between 2010 and 2013,” the report noted.

In comparison to other international airports, the report said the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos remains the busiest airport, with passenger traffic increasing by more than 40 per cent between 2010 and 2013. This was attributed to increased flight routes and the emergence of new airline operators. The Abuja International airport has also experienced an increase in passenger traffic by about 48 per cent, ranking in second place after Lagos.

“Other airports such as Kano and Port Harcourt have lower passenger traffic, although these have also experienced significant increases in passenger traffic. In the Port Harcourt airport, passenger traffic grew from 13,148 to an astounding 125,577 between 2010 and 2013 (i.e. 855 per cent total growth).

“International airlines such as Lufthansa and Air France have heavily contributed to this increase, by operating daily flights from Port Harcourt to various destinations (through connecting flights). However, although international passenger traffic has experienced growth over the years, the number of travellers at international airports remains considerably fewer than at domestic airports,” the report said.

However, it is believed that if the domestic airlines develop new routes and destinations that are unexploited presently more Nigerians would travel by air. Managing Director of IRS, Yemi Dada said at a recent event that the low purchasing power of the average Nigerian is the major reason why Nigerian airlines do not have consistent high load factor. He said the industry would explode if up to five per cent of the population travels by air.

That will make the aviation industry contribute more to the GDP.

Also, travel expert, Ikechi Uko said many parts of the country have not been connected by air and that airlines are yet to develop new routes, which would also boost air travel.

In the Philips Consulting Aviation Survey report, it was indicated that the challenges being faced by the airlines in the industry include the cost of aviation fuel, which is the highest expenditure item for airline carriers.

“In 2008, based on a sample of 45 major global airlines, fuel represented 32.3 per cent of the total operating costs.

Nigerian airline carriers spend on average 40 per cent of their expenditure on fuel, whereas global counterparts spend about 29 per cent on average. In Africa, aviation fuel is about 20 per cent more expensive, when compared with other continents.”

The report also pointed out that the high tariff costs for imported airline (e.g. aircraft spare parts) and airport (e.g. ramps, conveyor belts, x-rays, etc.) equipment are burdensome, especially for handling companies, adding that there have been a few too many plane crashes, emergency landings and near collisions in the Nigerian industry over the last 10 years.

The report also identified safety-related issues, including inadequate infrastructure, human error, and poor emergency response guidelines, procedures and capabilities to combat air disasters as part of the major challenges.

“The risky nature of the aviation business is often a major obstacle in the acquisition of funding and financing by airlines.

High insurance premiums are also borne by operators due to the perceived risks associated with flight operations locally.

Many airports in Nigeria are in a state of disrepair. Basic infrastructure such as adequate runway capacities and terminal facilities are often lacking at major airports in the country,” the report also said.

NIGERIA: Enugu Airport Gets Tourism Information Desk

In furtherance of its campaign for the promotion of domestic tourism, the management of Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) in partnership with Viko Group of Companies Limited has opened yet another tourism information desk at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Enugu State to boost passengers easy access to information on flights time, hotels and tourists sites in the country.

Director-General Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs Sally Uwechue Mbanfeo said that the NTDC’s information desk is part of the corporation’s efforts towards promoting domestic tourism. She recalled that the corporation’s collaboration with Viko Group of Companies Limited had earlier commissioned four information desks at airports in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Calabar and now Enugu. She also noted that Enugu State is one of the tourism friendly states and a major tourism hub in Nigeria.

“Enugu State is a place to visit and a destination of choice for tourists of various inclinations. Enugu and Nsukka towns present tourism infrastructure for cultural, eco-tourism, sporting, business and conferences. The following facilities are prominent; The Nike Lake Resort, Enugu Polo Amusement Park, Enugu Zoological Garden, Nsukka Zoological Garden, Hotel Presidential, Ezeagu Tourist Complex, Dugudu Lakes and Ajali Owa Sandy Stream among others,” she said.

She noted that “Nigeria has been solely dependent on the oil sector for many years. Nigerians are not encouraged to visit the various attractions from North to South, East to West to experience what God Almighty has endowed Nigerians with and we want Nigerians to take their life styles seriously, knowing that one’s health depends on leisure which is part of tourism. This is one of the things that promotes longevity of life. “Tourism is sustainable and a necessity in economy building and not a luxury,” she added.

Mrs. Mbanefo however called for greater support from both private and government to promote domestic tourism activities in Nigeria in order to move away from total dependence on oil and create jobs for the teeming youth, alleviate poverty and reduce urban migration.

CEO of Viko Group of Companies Mr. Lucky Kanu, said: “This information desk features a travel information portal for tourists with information on the aviation industry, ‘real time’ flight information can be personalized with alarm sent to customers phones as reminders of their scheduled flight time.”

He noted that the portal is opened to provide information about attractions in Nigeria that are not known to tourists. “We are promoting domestic tourism in the country in order to increase revenue generation for the country, opening for job opportunities for our teeming unemployed youth”, he said.

Kanu expressed his willingness and determination to collaborate with the NTDC to create job opportunities and will work on the existing partnership with NTDC to open more information desks in all major airports in Nigeria. He stated that “passengers can browse for free and view tourists sites, tourists activities, products, hotels, car hire services, events and festivals. Also they can make enquiries and book excursion trips to schools and holiday sightseeing within the country at no cost at all”.

Kanu said the significance of the desk is much in terms of benefits as it would provide information on passengers’ flight with ease. “This will further create more awareness and increased traffic for the airport,” he said.

The manager of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, Mr. Mgbemene Ijiako commended the synergy between NTDC and Viko Limited which has resulted to the establishment of the NTDC Information Desk in Enugu International Airport, Enugu State.

He said, “on behalf of the federal republic of Nigeria, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, I commission this Tourism Information Desk to the glory of God.”

His Royal Highness Dr. Eze Chukwu Debelu II of Ibagwa Aka Nsukka, who was in attendance, described the information desk as a significant link for tourism promotion. “What Israel gets from tourism is more than what Nigeria gets from oil. But I pray as we open our eyes to grow the sector, we will harness the endowment for our good,” he noted.

It will be recalled that tourism information desks have been opened at other airports such as Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, Murtala Mohammed Airport 2, Ikeja, General Aviation Terminal, Ikeja, Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano and Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar.