Aviation
Airports record 57.55 million passengers in four years
LAGOS-A total of 57,550,193 passengers used 22 Nigerian airports between 2010 and 2013, the latest statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics have shown.
The report titled Summary Report of Passenger Traffic: 2010-13 and Q1, 2014 which was released by the NBS in Abuja on Thursday showed that the number of passengers handled by the airports attained its peak in 2011 with a total of 14,899,958 passengers.
In 2010, a total of 13,891,677 passengers passed through Nigerian airports, increasing by 908,281 passengers or 6.5 per cent in 2011 to reach 14,899,958 passengers.
There was a drop in 2012 of 5.19 per cent or 773,168 passengers to give a total of 14,116,790 passengers, a figure which went up by 524,978 passengers or 3.72 per cent in 2013, reaching 14,641,768 passengers.
In 2010, domestic passenger travel stood at 10,753,725 passengers, increasing by 549,491 passengers or 5.11 per cent in 2011, yet decreasing by 1,627,356 passengers or 14.4 per cent in 2012 to reach a total of 9,675,860 passengers.
Growth was positive in 2013, although it slowed to 4.12 per cent, representing an increase of 398,668 passengers, reaching 10,074,528 passengers, the report said.
For international passenger travel, from the 3,227,952 passengers recorded in 2010, there was an increase of 358,790 passengers or 11.12 per cent in 2011. In 2012, the number of passengers rose by 854,188 or 23.82 per cent to reach 4,440,930 passengers.
By 2013, there was a marginal increase of 126,310 passengers or 2.84 per cent, although the total recorded was 4,567,240 passengers.
The report showed that the airport most frequented by passengers was the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, which had the greatest number in all years under review.
In 2010, 6,273,545 passengers travelled through the airport, making up 44.87 per cent of the annual total.
The number increased each year, by 472,745 passengers or 7.54 per cent in 2011; 132,996 passengers or 1.97 per cent in 2012 and 381,892 passengers or 5.55 per cent in 2013.
The airport’s share of total passengers also expanded over the period to 45.31 per cent of the total in 2011, 48.73 per cent in 2012 and 49.59 per cent in 2013.
According to the report, the second most used airport in Nigeria is Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe, which had 3,922,547 passengers in 2010 or 28.05 per cent of the passengers. The number increased in 2011 by 293,600 passengers or 7.48 per cent, increasing its share to 28.32 per cent of the total.
However, in 2012, there was a decline of 536,923 passengers or 12.73 per cent to reach 3,679,224 passengers. The airport’s share of the total dropped to 26.06 per cent.
There was a slight uptick in 2013, with 266,673 or 7.25 per cent more passengers, reaching a total of 3,945,897 or 26.95 per cent of the annual total.
Port Harcourt was the third most frequented airport in Nigeria. At 1,211,816 passengers, it held 8.67 per cent of the total in 2010. After growing by 134,795 passengers or 11.12 per cent in 2011, passenger numbers dropped by 154,465 people, or 11.47 per cent in 2012.
From the 1,192,136 passengers travelling through Port Harcourt in 2011, there was a marginal increase of 28,170 passengers or 2.36 per cent in 2013, reaching 1,220,306 passengers or 8.33 per cent of the total in the year.
The airport with the fewest passengers is Akure airport in Ondo State, which carried just 6,640 passengers in 2010, making up 0.05 per cent of the total.
The busiest airport for the quarter remained Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, with 1,683,375 passengers or 49.27 per cent of the total. This was followed by Abuja airport, which hosted 907,989 passengers, or 26.57 per cent of the total.
For domestic flights Murtala Muhammed Airport had 898,896 passengers or 38.21 per cent of the total and Abuja had 701, 249 passengers or 29.81 per cent of the total. Port Harcourt had 274,186 passengers or 11.66 per cent of all passenger traffic, while Owerri airport in Imo State had 75,356 passengers or 3.2 per cent of the total.
Punch-
Aviation
Akwa Ibom Boosts Ibom Air Fleet With Two New Aircraft
In a bold step to strengthen Akwa Ibom’s position in Nigeria’s aviation industry, Governor Umo Eno announced the addition of two new Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft to the fleet of the state-owned airline, Ibom Air, on Friday.
The two aircraft, registered as 5N-CED and 5N-CEE, mark a milestone in the state’s commitment to strategic investment, with the governor stressing that the acquisitions were fully funded by state resources without loans from financial institutions.
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At a welcoming ceremony attended by local officials and residents, Governor Eno emphasized his administration’s mission to drive revenue-generating ventures for Akwa Ibom rather than relying on debt.
He called the move a step toward breaking the cycle of government investments that only serve to pay off loans, vowing that the state’s funds would go towards projects that bring returns to the people.
The governor challenged Ibom Air to turn a profit by 2025, stating that the airline’s management should ensure routes in and out of Uyo remain dependable to prioritize the needs of Akwa Ibom travelers.
“As long as I remain governor, we will continue to use state funds for the benefit of all, not for private gain,” he said, noting that his administration aims to ensure that public investments deliver real value to the state.
Governor Eno also provided updates on several ambitious state projects, including an 18-story commercial complex underway in Lagos and an upcoming 4-star hotel in Abuja, both designed to generate revenue for Akwa Ibom.
Plans for an international market in Ikot Ekpene and the phased opening of a new terminal at the Victor Attah International Airport were also announced, with the airport terminal set for partial operation by December and full activation in early 2025.
Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Udeme Otong, commended Eno’s financial management, highlighting that the administration has avoided seeking loans over the past 18 months despite launching significant development projects.
Ibom Air’s Chairman, Pastor Imoabasi Jacob, expressed appreciation for the state’s investment in the airline, which has seen its fleet grow to nine aircraft.
Jacob credited the governor’s support with enabling Ibom Air to boost flight capacity, meeting demand on popular routes such as Uyo-Lagos-Abuja.
Captain Mfon Udom, CEO of Ibom Air, stated that the expanded fleet will improve efficiency and allow the airline to scale up its operations in time for the Christmas travel season.
Udom also noted that the airline anticipates the delivery of nine additional Airbus planes, which will further strengthen Ibom Air’s market presence.
Traditional leaders, including HRM Edidem Ita Edet Okokon III of Okobo Local Government Area, lauded the governor’s leadership, pledging continued support from the traditional institutions.
Anie Essienette, Group Manager for Marketing and Communications at Ibom Air, noted that demand for the airline’s services has surged nationwide, with the new CRJ900 aircraft helping meet this increasing need while the airline awaits further fleet expansion.
Aviation
BREAKING: Private Air Strip Owners Pay Handsomely – Keyamo
Nigeria’s Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo is of the view that there’s no cause for alarm over the approval of a private airstrip for a religious organisation, which attracted the attention of the House of Representatives.
He took to his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Friday morning to shed light on the subject, and explained that it could be a great source of revenue for Federal Government.
Keyamo asserted that the issue was raised by an honourable member at plenary, out of ignorance, but was “unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee to look into.”
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Keyamo expressed confidence that by the time his Ministry was done enlightening them, “they will be satisfied”.
He added that “the privates air strip owners pay the Federal Government handsomely for these services.”
Keyamo wrote, “I think this is not correct. The House of Reps. as a body did not call on the Minister to revoke the license of any private airstrip.
“I think what happened is that someone moved a motion in that regard and it was unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee to look into it.
“Whilst the intention of the Hon. Member who moved it is very patriotic, it was based on a complete lack of knowledge of the aviation sector.
“By the time we explain to them how private air strips work and the processes they undergo by our agencies before the final approval, they will be satisfied.
“The responsibility of the owners of private air strips is just to build the runway and terminal building. But after they build the control tower in particular, it is completely handed over to the Federal Government through NAMA (Nigerian Airspace Management Agency) which is in complete control of the entire airspace in Nigeria. An MOU is usually signed with NAMA in this regard before the airstrip is approved for operations.
“It is NAMA that provides the Air Traffic Controllers and Engineers in ALL AIRPORTS and AIRSTRIPS IN NIGERIA. And the privates air strip owners pay the Federal Government handsomely for these services.
“No object flies into Nigeria without the prior clearance by NAMA and without filing a clear flight plan, eg, where it is taking off from and where it intends to land.
“And I have recently directed that all aircraft coming into the country MUST first land at our international airports where they would be properly processed and checked before they make their local flights into whatever airport or airstrip they intend to go. So, it is COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY impossible for any private airstrip owner to just jump on an aircraft and fly in and out of the country through that facility. The Federal Government does not permit that. You will not be cleared for take off or landing without prior request and authorisation.
“I thank the Member for his patriotism, but I wish he contacted us first to explain to him before rushing to move such a motion.
“I attach herewith for public consumption the NAMA Act that gives exclusive control of the Nigerian airspace to the Federal Government through NAMA.”
Aviation
Helicopter Crash: Search Still On-going, No Additional Bodies Found
The NNPC Ltd has clarified that beyond the three bodies found in the ill-fated helicopter operated by East Winds Aviation that crashed on Thursday in Port Harcourt, no other bodies have been recovered.
This was contained in a statement in Abuja on Sunday by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd, Olufemi Soneye.
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“The Company further notes that intensified search and rescue operations for the remaining bodies along with relevant authorities is still ongoing.
“Once again, our hearts and prayers are with family members of this unfortunate incident,” the statement added.