Nigeria’s aviation sector crashing
Airlines in the country generally have a short life span: in 35 years more than 40 operators have gone bust, including Nigeria Airways
Lagos — Nigeria may consider itself a regional aviation hub but years of mismanagement and recession have blighted domestic airline operations, making delays and cancellations the norm. Industry experts say the sector needs a fundamental overhaul, pointing to opaque management practices, rampant corruption and risks for passengers from security and dilapidated infrastructure. Arik Air, which has a 60% share of domestic flights and is the country’s biggest private carrier, has found itself increasingly in the firing line of disgruntled passengers. Earlier this month, irate passengers beat up one of its executives at Lagos international airport after the third consecutive cancellation of their flight to Johannesburg. In December, Arik operations were grounded by a 24-hour strike by employees demanding the payment of seven months’ arrears in salary. There was no response from Arik when asked to comment on the situation. Other domestic operators are struggling. Aero Contractors, the sec...
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