Nigeria’s aviation sector is sitting on an untapped goldmine that could revolutionize travel across the continent. According to the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), fully implementing the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) could see airfares drop by as much as 35 percent.
Ms. Adefunke Adeyemi, the AFCAC Secretary-General, delivered this promising forecast during the National Aviation Conference hosted by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). She outlined a future where air travel is not only cheaper but vastly more accessible.
The Numbers: A Transformational Shift
The data presented suggests that accelerating the liberalization of African skies would do more than just lower ticket prices. The projections indicate:
- A 55 percent boost in passenger traffic.
- The creation of 40 new intra-African routes within five years.
- A significant expansion of the continent’s middle class through increased tourism and trade.
“Nigeria has everything it needs to become the beating heart of African aviation, but the benefits will only flow when we embrace full liberalization,” Adeyemi stated. She emphasized that SAATM is a “real, measurable opportunity” rather than an abstract concept.
The Obstacle: Fragmented Skies
Despite being a signatory to the agreement, Nigeria has been slow to fully operationalize the initiative. The Secretary-General attributed the high cost of air travel to policy-induced constraints rather than simple market forces.
She pointed to “restrictive bilaterals, protectionist policies, and weak infrastructure” as the primary barriers.
“Our skies remain fragmented,” Adeyemi warned. “We cannot talk about continental prosperity when airlines are restricted from flying freely across Africa. Liberalization works, and every country that has embraced it has seen the benefits.”
Infrastructure vs. Policy
While commending recent efforts to upgrade airport facilities, the AFCAC boss stressed that physical infrastructure alone is insufficient. She argued that without modern regulatory frameworks specifically dedicated transit zones that allow seamless connections without complex visa requirements Nigeria cannot become a true hub.
Industry experts have pointed to smaller nations like Togo as a model. Despite having no domestic market to speak of, Togo has thrived by making it easy for passengers to connect and leave, a strategy that has attracted significant traffic and revenue.
A Call to Lead
The message to the Nigerian government was clear: modernize regulations or risk being left behind. Adeyemi urged authorities to create a fair, competitive environment by removing the bottlenecks that make operations expensive.
“The countries that open up now will dominate the future of African aviation,” she declared. “Nigeria can either lead this transformation or watch others shape the market without us.”
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