Sunday, February 9, 2025
spot_img
HomeAir TransportAirportsFAAN's Kuku To Speak On Airport Viability At Business Summit In July

FAAN’s Kuku To Speak On Airport Viability At Business Summit In July

Importance of skills needed to maximize the country’s airports potential to generate revenue has again been reemphasized.

The critical importance of possessing the required skills has been stressed by the Chairman of Airport Business Summit, Mr Fortune Idu, while speaking on  the  the forthcoming Business Summit holding at the NIGAV Center at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in July this year.

Speaking to the media in his office at the NIGAV centre at the airport, Idu used the.opportuniry to reveal how the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs Olubunmni Kuku, recently approved the inclusion of the airport managers’ workshop on airport route development and marketing in the forthcoming Airport Business Summit.

Kuku is expected to talk on Airport Viability at the Business Summit.

According to Idu, to support these noble intentions for airport repositioning, airport micro-managers must be trained to understand the concept of airport viability from the development point of view.

The airport managers according to him, are to be positioned as the airport’s chief marketing officers and business development managers.

His words: “Although airport concessions and other public-private partnership schemes have remained high on the government’s list of options to increase the economic viability of Nigeria’s airports, preparing the airport managers to understand the role of each player, the federal government, state, airport authority, investors, users, and stakeholders is a crucial aspect, which the airport manager’s workshop at the airport business summit will highlight”.

Idu who said the old approach of building an airport and expecting airlines to find routes is no longer sustainable declared that  a more comprehensive plan and complete business case are required for all airports to connect people and cargo and be economically viable. “This is what the Managing Director of the FAAN is trying to achieve, and the task is for all airport Managers to key into this objective, making the airport more viable” .

The FAAN MD has highlighted the importance of airport viability as one of the key factors in refocusing the operations of FAAN’s 23 airports in Nigeria, in order to provide sustainable air transport support services.

Idu said since Kuku came to FAAN, that her focus has been on internally reviewing processes and restructuring management to align the workforce towards increasing airport revenue and reducing wastage.

“Managing 23 airports in a densely populated country like Nigeria presents a significant challenge for any organization. Ensuring that all airports are equally profitable and contribute to the government’s revenue is no easy task. Currently, only four airports can be considered financially viable.

“However, the importance of connecting Nigeria’s states through air travel is undisputed. When considering the value of this connectivity, all  Nigeria’s domestic airports are equally valuable as they serve as the main catalyst for the country’s growth”.

Idu noted that most of the airports in the country were developed at the request of the State government, and operated without initial business viability or a strategic master plan, but simply to fulfil a need for interstate connection.

“In this case, the airport becomes a crucial infrastructure for connectivity and economic development, similar to a road. However, unlike other intermodal infrastructure, the operational cost of running airports, with or without adequate” passenger usage, is exceptionally high”, Idu added.

Noting that the present administration is seriously considering how to generate enough income from the other airports and recognising that the airport is a business, Idu remarked: “Reviewing the airports’ capacity and potential is an important pillar in Mrs. Kuku’s strategic plan. It also aligns with the Honourable Minister’s continued remark that all airports should develop a master plan that identifies their long-term ambitions and strategies, where the development process will be periodically reviewed to accommodate future growth projections”.

 

RELATED ARTICLES

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Most Popular

Recent Comments