Aviation expert, Mr. Chris Aligbe, has called for three formidable local carriers to achieve airport hub status in Nigeria.
Speaking at the 29th League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) Aligbe further presented the need for an urgent reform in the Nigeria’s aviation industry, warning that the entire sector is trapped in a “vicious circle” that threatens its future viability.
He emphasised that the interdependence of airlines, airports, ground handling companies, and regulators means that failure in one sub-sector inevitably drags down the others. “If the airlines are not doing well, the airports will not do well. And if the airports fail, the entire system collapses”, he stated.
The aviation expert identified domestic airlines as the critical “breaking point” to reverse the downward spiral, and argued that no foreign airline can build a hub in Nigeria.
He averred that only strong, well-capitalised local carriers can anchor a thriving aviation ecosystem. “I believe that our country is ripe enough to have three formidable airlines, not less than three formidable airlines that can serve the country.
“Without them, our dream of becoming a regional hub will remain a fantasy. Thank God we are modernising our airports. If flights are not going there, the airports will deteriorate and that is what is happening in our country. So I think that if we don’t buoy up our airlines, we will not get to where we are going to be.
“No airport in this country will become a hub, that will depend on a foreign airline to survive. No foreign airline can build a hub in your country. I studied about 25 to 35 hubs. Those hubs are built by the airlines of their country.
“You can build a world-class airport. Other airlines will come into it, but if you don’t have your airline, you will never have a hub in our country”, Aligbe explained.
He also called for deliberate government intervention, not through palliatives or aviation banks, but via a dedicated foreign exchange (Forex) window to help airlines meet international obligations such as aircraft leasing, maintenance, and spare parts procurement. “It must be intentional. Airlines need access to forex to survive”, Aligbe stressed.
Beyond financial support, Aligbe urged Nigerian airlines to confront internal inefficiencies and embrace consolidation. “Until they pull resources together merge, form alliances, and scale up they will continue to struggle. If you go alone, you die alone”, he warned, citing global examples like Lufthansa and TAAG Angola.
Aligbe concluded with a passionate endorsement of a national flag carrier, asserting that Nigeria cannot ascend in global aviation without one. “We must put a laser beam on our airlines. Without strong domestic carriers, even world-class airports will fail to deliver economic transformation”.