Page 22 - LUA Sep - October 2022 for Magzter

COUNTRY REPORT

Lingering
CHALLENGE

Cargo experts worry over challenges to Nigeria’s cargo export, as the African
Continental Free Trade Area progresses. Roy Ezze finds out the details.

viation, transport and FAAN to redirect the future of air cargo accounted for the balance of 34%.”
cargo experts in Nigeria are in Nigeria, noting that FAAN intends He also said “there was a 52% increase
intensifying their call for to “catalyze the development of an in the total volume of goods and mails
Athe improvement of cargo implementable aviation cargo guideline that passed through our airports in 2021
standardisation and exportation in Nigeria that will help stakeholders understand and compared to 2020 data.”
amidst perennial negative trend of air appreciate one another’s role in moving the Noting that Nigeria ranked 5th in
cargo in Nigeria. There is pervasive worry cargo business from where it is currently to the 2021 assessment of the Airports
that foreign airlines fly into Nigeria loaded where we would want it to be in the short Council International (ACI) for cargo, he
with cargo, and depart mostly empty term, medium and to long term.” emphasized that Nigeria should improve
without cargo for export. Realizing the While he highlighted that FAAN has 13 on its cargo production and export.
near-absence of export cargo from Nigeria, airports designated as cargo airports, he He therefore called for a cargo
foreign airlines charge importers for the further noted that “With our over 18,780 development plan for Nigeria, “to steadily
empty-legs, thereby making imported hectares of land in our 22 airports, we increasing our exports data on goods and
goods more expensive for importers and have the capacity of partnering with any mails by a minimum of 25% and 10%
consumers in Nigeria. company to build a massive modern cargo respectively, year on year for the next five
Cargo experts, including export cargo warehouse comparable with any of such years starting in 2023 and using the 2021
regulators, evinced strong desire to bolster facility in the world.” He pointed out that data as benchmark.”
cargo exports in Nigeria during a cargo FAAN recently acquired additional 12.5 He specified that the cargo development
conference held recently in Lagos. hecatres of land for Abuja airport, bringing plan for Nigeria must address challenges
The Managing Director of the the total to 31,280 hectares. associated with Nigeria’s cargo operating
Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria According to him, “In 2017, about 168.7 environment including “complaints of
(FAAN), Capt. Rabiu Yadudu, invited tonnes of goods transited through our duplicity of functions among the several
cargo stakeholder including finance airports, and import accounted for about government agencies at the airports,
and insurance companies to work with 66% of this total, while export of goods multiplicity of taxes and charges,

20 LUA SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2022