Page 22 - STAT November 2022 for Magzter

COUNTRY REPORT

How can Nigeria

REALIZE ITS AIRPORT

POTENTIAL?

A country’s airport infrastructure plays a very critical role. Airports in Nigeria urgently require
capital investment to attract more passenger and cargo movement. Roy Ezze reports that
making Nigeria a production-based commercial hub would provide the critical mass of air
cargo to feed over 13 cargo airports in Nigeria.

he development of airports globally ownership structure; most airports sector to drive airports development.
has continued to evolve as aviation started out as government social services However, this has failed to yield the
and air transport in particular not necessarily meant for profit. Now, expected result as the first experiment of
Thave steadily evolved over the past governments have realized the essence of Build-Operate-and-Transfer (BoT) airport
decades. Airports have especially followed running airports as profitable businesses; project involving the Murtala Muhammed
the trend of technological advancement thus, increasingly airports are being Domestic Airport Terminal (MMA2)
to meet the requirements of airlines. considered for privatization to bring concession to BiCourteny Aviation
Currently, to become competitive and relevant expertise. Services has been mired in endless
sustainable, airports strive to meet the The Public-Private Participation (PPP) litigation and controversy.
needs of discerning passengers and other concept of airports development has been Though this specific unsavoury example
airport users, prioritizing the concept of strongly promoted as most effective for has discouraged many private investors,
‘passenger experience’. airports transformation in Africa, since government still favours private sector
These evolutions have seen the the model involves private sector experts participation to improve Nigeria’s airports.
introduction of self-service kiosks, working in synergy with government. To prepare Nigerian airports for investors,
capacity expansion, and currently Nigeria is among countries in Africa Nigeria had remodeled its 22 airports
the gradual phasing-in of that have embraced the use of private with architectural facelift some years ago;
contactless technology
among airports
worldwide.
Airports have also
shown remarkable
evolution in

Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, Nigeria
20 LUA NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2022