An ex-president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olisa Agbakoba, has said that lack of legal and policy environments are the major reasons for the failure of Nigerian airlines in the past.
The lawyer made the assertion during a presentation in Lagos.
Agbakoba said Nigeria’s aviation sector has witnessed the emergence and cessation of several airlines in the past.
Over the past years, airlines like Sosoliso Airlines, Skypower Express, Savanah Airlines, Virgin Nigeria, West African Airways Corporation Nigeria and Wings Aviation among many others are defunct.
He said, “Despite the potential to generate revenue, create jobs, and stimulate other industries like hospitality and tourism, the sector has experienced a high turnover of registered airlines, with many having a short lifespan of five to 10 years.
“The absence of Aviation Cabotage, an enabling legal and policy environment for national airlines, is a fundamental factor contributing to the failure of Nigerian airlines.”
The former NBA boss said there is an urgent need for the National Assembly to enact the Fly Nigeria Act to strengthen the aviation industry.
Agbakoba recalled that over the years, “proposals such as the Fly Nigeria Bill, Aviation Corporate Governance Code, and the domestication of international conventions have been suggested to address these challenges.”
Agbakoba called on Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Space Management, to take a giant step towards the Fly Nigeria Bill.
He applauded Keyamo for his role in securing the Lagos-London route under the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) for Air Peace.
