Aviation
Nigeria’s in-bound air passenger traffic sustained on Ebola containment
LAGOS-Nigeria’s timely containment of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) which has attracted huge commendation from the international community, including the World Health Organisation (WHO) is paying off, as air passenger traffic into and also out of the country’s airports has been sustained, despite the outbreak of the disease in July.
The disease has however crippled air travel business in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, where a total of about 1,400 deaths have been recorded since the recent outbreak, leading to the cancellation of as much as 216 of the 590 monthly international flights scheduled to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Official Airline Guide (OAG), an airline data provider says.
However, with only five deaths recorded in Nigeria, including the late Patrick Sawyer (the index case) who imported the deadly disease into the country, analysts observe that inbound passenger traffic has been sustained, indication confidence from the international community, regarding the country’s prompt and proper response to the EVD incident.
“We are yet to feel any significant impact of the dreaded Ebola disease in the industry,” the country manager of a popular international airline, who preferred anonymity, told to our reporter. He further said that though many airlines have suspended operations to Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, which are much more afflicted by EVD, the flow of passengers into Nigeria has remained unaltered.
Despite warnings and explanations by WHO and other health experts, that the risk of travelers in the same flight contracting the deadly EVD remains very low because it can only be transferred through body fluids or secretions such as blood, sweat, urine and saliva and is not airborne, about one-third of international flights to the three most hit West African countries have been cancelled in the past one month.
Kola Olayinka, country commercial manager, British Airways, in response to questions from BusinessDay, doused any apprehension of flight cancellation to Nigeria, stating that the country is yet to be referred to as an Ebola-nation, considering the aggressive approach of the Federal Government to contain the disease.
Olayinka said that after the late Sawyer gained access into the country through the airport, all hands have been on deck to ensure such a scenario is not repeated.
This he explained, has led to the installation of scanning equipment at some sections of the airports, to allow officials thoroughly examine passengers coming into the country.
Just last week, the government of the United States donated equipment worth $5,000 to help boost screening capacity at the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos.
The new items include infrared non-contact thermometers and face shields. An infrared thermometer is a portable handheld device with the ability to measure body temperature of in and out- bound passengers.
Joff Hawkins, US Consul-General in Nigeria, presenting the equipment, expressed satisfaction with the timely response of the Nigerian Government to the contagious disease, since its importation into the country by Patrick Sawyer about a month ago.
Meanwhile, South Africa Airways is set to increase its flight frequency between Lagos and Johannesburg from seven to eight times per week.
This, the firm explained, is a direct response to increasing demand from passengers for its services, and also in line with its mandate to draw the footprint of integrating Africans within the continent.
Aaron Munetsi, regional general manager for Africa & Middle East, South Africa Airways, countered any notion of the carrier suspending its services to Nigeria, explaining that the airline remains pleased with efforts of the government to contain the disease.
On the efforts of the airline to ensure it does not in anyway help spread the virus, Munetsi confirmed that the carrier does not currently fly to any of the countries seriously hit by Ebola.
He also revealed that since the disease broke out, the airline has engaged its staff in several training programmes on how best to ensure passengers are adequately protected while on board.
“Our staff have been trained to ensure passengers do not transit when they are sick, infact they have been mandated to report any sick person trying to board the flight to appropriate authorities,” he said, adding that as part of the carrier’s protective measures, staff in direct contact with passengers from the severely hit countries use protective measures such as gloves to protect themselves from any possible infection.
BUSINESSDAY-
Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo) has welcomed efforts to promote safe helicopter services across Africa in a proposed Regional Action Plan (RAP).
The plan, according to a company statement, is the highlight of a workshop organised in Lagos within the week by the Aviation subcommittee of the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP) in partnership with London-based safety advocacy group, HeliOffshore.
Biztellers reports that the two-day Offshore Helicopter Industry Safety Workshop (OHISW) with the theme “Developing a Regional Action Plan,” followed on from a similar session last year which SNEPCo sponsored.
READ ALSO: Ikire Killings: Adeleke Establishes Commission for Coroner Inquiry by Executive Order
It also provided administrative and logistical support for this year’s conference which was sponsored by ExxonMobil. SNEPCo, which pioneered Nigeria’s deepwater production at Bonga in 2005, relies on helicopter shuttles for operations and supports the workshop as part of its contributions towards safe services in Nigeria.
In an address at the opening session delivered by General Manager Contracting and Supply Chain, Charles Oranyeli, Managing Director SNEPCo, Ronald Adams said: “By developing a regional action plan, we can move beyond dialogue to alignment, ensuring that the safety leadership, industry standards, and collaborative approaches championed last year are embedded in a common roadmap for collective improvement. The most effective solutions will come not from isolated efforts, but from partnership, standardization, and coordinated action across the region.”
The workshop was attended by more than 80 representatives from oil and gas companies, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), helicopter operators and original equipment manufacturers.
The event concluded with participants deciding action items for the proposed Regional Action Plan including Search and Rescue (SAR) initiatives, implementation of IOGP Report 690 standards and establishment of formal industry leadership forums.
The IOGP has been active for over 50 years, supporting its more than 90 members around the world to promote “excellence in safe, efficient and sustainable energy.”
The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has declared that airlines operating in Nigeria have come under financial pressure following a sharp increase in the price of Jet-A1, also known as aviation fuel.
According to the group, the price of aviation fuel, has surged to about N1,800 per litre in many parts of the country, from about N1,000 per litre two weeks ago. This amounts to almost an 80 per cent increase within a short period.
Aviation fuel remains the largest cost component in airline operations, accounting for about 30 to 35 per cent of total operating expenses.
Industry stakeholders have linked the latest spike to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has pushed up global energy prices.
ALSO READ: Shell Completes Turnaround Maintenance on FPSO, Resumes Production at Bonga
Speaking on Channels Television on Friday, the spokesperson for the Airline Operators of Nigeria, Prof Obiora Okonkwo, said the surge had placed airlines under severe financial strain.
According to him, most carriers have so far refrained from immediately transferring the additional cost burden to passengers, despite the pressure on their operations.
“Two weeks ago, we were getting Jet-A1 at about N1,000 per litre, which today is about N1,800, and even more in some stations. We have experienced an increase of about 80 per cent. That’s quite a spike,” Okonkwo said.
He explained that airlines were currently absorbing the losses in order to avoid worsening the economic burden on the travellers.
“We are not in a business where you can easily adjust your ticket price. Right now what we are doing is that we are bleeding. We are taking the blow. We are selling tickets at very non-profitable prices. We are losing a lot of money,” he said.
Okonkwo warned that the situation might not be sustainable if fuel prices continue to rise without government intervention.
“Obviously, adjustments will be expected anytime soon. But again, we are very sensitive to the economic situation of Nigerians and our travellers,” he added.
He noted that developments in the global oil market, particularly the recent release of reserve crude oil, could influence fuel prices in the coming weeks.
Okonkwo also urged the Federal Government to explore engagement with the Dangote Refinery as part of efforts to stabilise aviation fuel supply locally.
“We were more hopeless in a situation where there was no refinery in Nigeria in the last two years. Now that we have a refinery, we are hopeful that we can find a solution around it,” he said.
According to him, if the spike persists, some airlines may struggle to continue absorbing the losses associated with the rising cost of aviation fuel.
Meanwhile, the AON spokesperson also reacted to the decision by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to sanction about five airlines over alleged price fixing.
Okonkwo said while the commission has regulatory powers, the aviation sector remains deregulated, making coordinated price fixing unlikely.
“There is no meeting of airlines where they agree to fix prices. Fixing prices would mean operating as a cartel, and that is not the case,” he said.
He explained that airline ticket pricing varies widely because different aircraft types attract different operating costs.
“Each airline determines its fares based on its own operational costs,” he said.
Okonkwo added that airlines must also demonstrate financial viability to regulators as part of the conditions for maintaining their operating licences.
“At every point in time, you must prove to the regulators that you are financially viable and capable of sustaining operations,” he said.
He urged regulators to take into account the fragile nature of the aviation industry when making policy decisions affecting airlines.
An Air Peace flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt has suffered a disruption, after the aircraft was affected by a bird strike on arrival at the Port Harcourt International Airport.
The airline made the disclosure on Thursday in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Osifo-Whiskey Efe.
He added that the incident necessitated safety checks on the affected aircraft and the deployment of another aircraft to convey passengers on subsequent flights.
ALSO READ: Rivers’ CJ Declines Setting Up Panel for Fubara’s Impeachment
“We deeply empathise with passengers affected by this unforeseen incident and are working diligently to minimise disruptions,” Efe said.
The latest incident adds to the growing challenge of bird strikes faced by local airlines.
In December 2025, Air Peace disclosed that it recorded 49 bird strikes across Nigeria between January and September, stressing that even a single strike could ground an aircraft for weeks.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Allen Onyema, had said on Arise TV that bird strikes constituted a major operational challenge, often leading to costly repairs and serious disruptions to flight schedules.
“One bird strike could cripple your aircraft for the next month. At that moment, there is no two ways about it. These bird strikes often lead to costly delays and serious disruptions in flight schedules,” he said.
He added that losses from such incidents compound other challenges facing Nigerian airlines, including heavy taxation and operational constraints.
Dangote Reveals Date for Much-Awaited Refinery IPO
‘Young Nigerians Now Selling Their Kidneys to Survive’ — Atiku Raises Alarm
NGX N-Zero Begins Corporate Climate Baseline Assessments
2027: Obi Has No Chance Against Tinubu Without Opposition Alliance — Okonkwo
Unlocking Africa’s Upstream Lies in Stronger Partnerships – Oando
Presidency Clears Air on Tinubu’s US Court Case
Trump’s Family Unveils New Cryptocurrency Platform
Senate Denies Receiving Petitions Against Tinubu’s Ambassadorial Nominees
Dangote Cement Lights Up Benue Host Communities With CSR Initiatives
Reps Recommend 3-year Jail Term For Aviation minister
Tems Sets New Record On Billboard Hot 100 Chart
