The spokesperson of the Airline Operators of Nigeria Obiora Okonkwo has said that with the increase in cost of operations, the realistic cost for a Lagos – Abuja flight ticket should be N250,000.
He stated this in an interview on AriseTV.
“If you think tickets are expensive, then you probably don’t appreciate the sacrifices made by local operators. If we have to charge the fares the way the costs are increasing every day, we should be paying not less than N250,000 from Lagos to Abuja,” her said.
Okonkwo, who is also the chairman of United Nigeria Airlines, highlighted the need for local airlines to access foreign exchange through a designated window facilitated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
“You have naira and you can’t convert it to the dollar. So, the solution to this is for our minister to understand that we need a special window with the CBN to access foreign exchange.”
He called on the newly appointed Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, to collaborate with other governmental bodies to identify and rectify obstructive elements within the system, which exacerbate the existing challenges.
Okonkwo expressed concern over the unjustifiably high cost of aviation fuel, attributing the excess charges to speculative practices, even as he called on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) to play its part in stabilising the industry by curbing these practices.
“There is no reason, no matter the international price of crude oil, that the aviation fuel should be delivered to the pump for more than N500. Everything you see on top of it is speculation and I am calling out on NNPC staff to set this country free,” he added.
The AON spox further averred that in view of the significance of the aviation sector, it deserves to be recognised as an essential industry within Nigeria and cautioned against any interference with the existing regulatory framework, stressing that stability and consistency were paramount.
“The government and new aviation minister have to recognise the aviation industry as one of the essential industries in the country. It is no more for the rich only but a means of transportation.”
Drawing attention to the industry’s unique challenges, Okonkwo highlighted the currency disparity that local operators grapple with.
“The current minister should not interfere with the regulations. We had a very terrible past where the regulatory employees were given employment letters from the Federal Ministry of Aviation. That’s absurd and unacceptable. So, let the regulatory system remain. Also, look into the latest appointments that were made before the end of the last administration,” Okonkwo added.
