By Itohan Abara-Laserian

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is finalising automation of payment processes at airports nationwide starting with Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

The Managing Director of FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, gave the assurance on Monday in Lagos.

Kuku spoke at FAAN’s Directorate of Commercial and Business Development Stakeholder Engagement.

The engagement had the theme: “Strengthening Partnerships for Sustainable Growth and Development”.

Kuku emphasised the need for Electronic Cash Register (ECR) devices for payments and automation of toll gates and parking facilities to enhance transparency and accountability.

“Today, the environment is slightly porous as people are just using physical ID cards and identification to pass through.

“We are actually going to be integrating that with BVN and NIN and, of course, biometrics on the domestic side,” she said.

Kuku said that the authority was commitment to providing smart airports and processes for business partners.

She emphasised the need for concessionaires to make timely payments and adhere to contract terms.

Kuku expressed dissatisfaction at the presence of tankers, which did not have any business at the airport area.

She asked that they should vacate the area or be sanctioned.

“We are going to be taking very drastic actions because it is obnoxious for an airport environment.

“I have realised that a lot of these tankers do not belong to those who operate in our environment.”

Kuku said there was the need to update and categorise concessionaires to address fee discrepancies.

She identified four major categories based on business type, retail mix and offerings to ensure fair and transparent fee structures.

The Director of Commercial and Business Development, FAAN, Ms Adebola Agunbiade, spoke on FAAN’s revenue scorecard for 2024.

Agunbiade said that FAAN generated 92 per cent of revenue from aeronautics and eight per cent from non-aeronautics.

“This is not very good for us. International standard is 55 per cent aeronautical revenue and 45 per cent non-aeronautical, and we are very far from that.

“All of the initiatives that we have come up with and keep coming up with are to help us to drive our non-aeronautic businesses.

“That is why you all are here. We are hoping that we will get your support to be able to achieve this,” she said.

She said that FAAN would review its tariffs, adding that it had ‘suffered a lot from obsolete charges’.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that stakeholders in catering, car hiring, retailing and indoor advertising, among others, were present at the event. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abdulfatai Beki/Ijeoma Popoola

By Gabriel Agbeja

Mr Obafemi Bajomo, Senior Special Adviser to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development on Foreign Direct Investments and Capital Improvement Programmes, says African countries should strengthen collaboration toward better intra-African connectivity.

Bajomo said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

According to him, by promoting intra-African connectivity, African countries can unlock their economic potentials, improve living standards and foster a more integrated and prosperous continent.

He urged African leaders to deepen efforts toward the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), African Union`s Agenda 2063, Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), and infrastructure development projects to achieve the feat.

Bajomo commended efforts of the Nigeria Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, to advance intra- Africa connectivity to ensure a robust and resilient future for Nigeria and African region in general.

“At the recently concluded AviaDev Africa Conference in Zanzibar, Tanzania, Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace emerged as a leading voice in the urgent call for enhanced intra-African air connectivity.

“His additional function as the current Chairman of the Banjul Accord Group (BAG) found global resonance through a newly unveiled report by Brazilian aerospace manufacturer, Embraer.

“The report is titled “Connecting Africa: Unlocking Africa’s Intra-Regional Connectivity Potential.

“Launched on June 12, the report provides a compelling data-backed argument for rethinking the status quo of Africa’s fragmented aviation landscape,“ he said.

Bajomo said that the report amplified the long-standing campaign of Keyamo, whose vision for a connected Africa now aligned with both global industry players and empirical economic projections.

“Drawing upon clear statistics and strategic analysis, Embraer’s findings make the case for deploying right-sized aircraft and creating new regional air corridors to bridge the vast distances that have historically divided African economies.

“The report quoted Keyamo as saying that the potential of intra-African connectivity is vast, and it is within our collective power to unlock new markets, build new regional hubs, and create a more integrated continent.

“By working together, we can foster economic growth, promote trade and improve the lives of millions of Africans through better connectivity,” he said.

Bajomo said that the report revealed that Africa contributed a paltry 2.1 per cent of global air passenger and cargo traffic despite being home to 18 per cent of the world’s population.

The minister’s aide said that the mismatch, which was highlighted by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and cited in the report, pointed to a massive untapped opportunity in Africa.

He said that the Embraer study underscored the importance of small and medium-sized aircraft in catalysing growth in underutilised routes and demonstrated how new services could stimulate demand up to 80 per cent.

He said that Keyamo had tirelessly advocated for the liberalisation of African airspace, the development of regional hubs and the fast-tracking of Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASAs).

“His tenure has also seen increasing collaboration with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) like Embraer, and policy thrusts aimed at fleet modernisation, aviation infrastructure renewal, and route expansion—objectives squarely mirrored in Embraer’s recommendations.

“The Embraer report identifies 45 intra-African routes currently unserved by direct flights, many of which could support multiple weekly frequencies using 100-seat aircraft like the E-Jet E2.

“Such right-sized aircraft offer cost-efficiency and flexibility, aligning with the minister’s argument that African airlines must rethink operational models to better match passenger demand and reduce operational costs,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman

By Itohan Abara-Laserian

The Domestic Airports Cargo Agents Association (DACAA) on Monday hailed the opening of a cargo terminal at the General Aviation Terminal operated by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in Ikeja.

The Acting Chairman, Board of Trustees, DACAA, Mr John Ekeanya, said that the new cargo hub would improve the contributions of domestic cargo to the country’s economy.

Ekeanya spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

He said that there was a healthy competition in the cargo ecosystem.

He said: “The building and commissioning of a cargo hub at the General Aviation Terminal by FAAN is a very welcome development.

“We used to have something like that but not as comprehensive. Now, we can boast of a cargo hub that means we will no longer depend on only one cargo space at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2).

“Now, we have an alternative, which is a government facility. Our goods will be processed and properly kept.”

On the involvement of the association in the planning and establishment of the cargo hub, Ekeanya said that cargo agents were not carried along.

“I have raised this issue with FAAN management, and we are hopeful that remedies would be made going forward.

“Generally speaking, it is a welcome development, and we are hoping that cargo agents will be integrated into the whole programme.

“I started that by writing to the director of cargo operations at FAAN, and we hope that this is the beginning of a good thing,” he said.

According to Ekeanya, the hub will be mutually beneficial to FAAN and DACAA members.

NAN reports that DACAA had on April 2 called for the establishment of cargo processing centres in all airports in Nigeria to boost economic growth.

On May 9, FAAN unveiled its cargo terminal at GAT. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ijeoma Popoola