Nigeria probably has more airports than any other country in Africa. Besides South Africa, Nigeria processes the highest number of passengers emanating from that country; others like Ethiopia, Kenya and others provide the passage to other destinations. So Nigeria has the highest passenger traffic in Africa after South Africa.
But Nigerian airports are lowly rated; yet, as the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi noted recently, a lot of efforts had been made to improve the airports.
One of the major reasons why Nigerian airports are very lowly rated is the poor state of critical infrastructure like the runway, poor markings on the runway, taxiway and ramp and poor airfield lighting. Much more than the airport terminals, these critical facilities to a large extent determine aircraft safety at take off and landing.
There are seemingly more deplorable looking airport terminals in Africa that are rated higher than Nigerian airports because aesthetically these airports may look drab, but their airside met the given safety standards.
The problem of Nigeria started when it began to build airport runways without runway lights; when politicians wanted to score cheap goals and beguile the mind of the citizens and desperately commissioned uncompleted airports with media razzmatazz and unruly panegyrics, flattery and propaganda. That was how Asaba airport was built and commissioned; that was how Gombe airport was built and commissioned and in recent time the only airport that was built to international standard, according to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), was the Kebbi airport in Kebbi state. The airport has fully built airport runway and lighting, comprehensive security system at the airside and well-trained personnel to man the facility.
But the state governments that built these airports took a cue from the federal government and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). After the well-known intervention fund made available by the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo administration in response to the air crashes of 2005 and 2006, which was aimed at improving safety critical infrastructure, government awarded some projects for the upgrade of these facilities.
The rehabilitation of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos domestic runway was awarded separately from that of the airfield lighting. Although two different companies usually build the runways and deploy the airfield lighting but they are usually awarded at the same time and work is deemed completed when the runway is surfaced and airfield lighting deployed.
But in the case of the domestic runway of the Lagos airport, known as R18L, the rehabilitation was awarded and the airfield lighting was awarded to a company that had no precedent in executing airport projects or in installing airfield lighting. So when the rehabilitation work was completed the runway was re-opened without airfield lighting. Then controversy enveloped the airfield lighting contract that long after the contract was awarded and initial payment made, the contract was not executed.
For years, domestic airlines operated through the runway during the day and used the international runway in the night. This subjected the flights to delays and the aircraft burnt a lot of fuel trudging from the international runway to the domestic terminal after landing. By the time there was respite with the installation of mobile lighting about seven years after, the airlines put what they lost at over N10 billion mainly in fuel consumed, time, and wear and tear of the equipment.
So the low rating has to do more with not being able to provide safety critical infrastructure than terminal facilities, as noted by the regional representative of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Albert Taylor who disclosed that some international airlines that operate into Nigeria complained about poor runways at the international airports.
Such complaints have far-reaching effects because these airlines belong to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which is a highly influential organisation and which works hand in hand with ICAO for improved air safety in the world.
Taylor, who attended a workshop on runway safety in Lagos organised by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) on Monday noted that Nigeria has done so much in improving airport facilities, but meeting runway standard lagged behind. The workshop was part of the efforts to prepare Nigeria for the upcoming safety audit and the certification of Nigerian airports by NCAA for ICAO, which would enable some airlines which currently do not operate into Nigeria because of these shortcomings on the runways to start coming to Nigeria and other airlines already operating into the country but shy from deploying some aircraft to the country to change their mind.
But above all, the certification of Nigerian airports would improve the rating of Nigeria in the world air transport community and Nigeria will be located in its rightful place.
FAAN and other agencies have indicated interest to meet all the recommendations of ICAO to ensure that Nigeria passed the audit that is slated for March. ICAO has open items which it wants Nigeria to close and these include the training of those who drive vehicle at the tarmac, which include food suppliers, fuel bowsers, ground handling companies and others.
The FAAN Director of Operations, Captain Henry Omeogu, said the agency has decided to concentrate on airport development on runway and provision of airfield lighting and bulbs to enhance safety and meet the recommendation of ICAO and to pass the forthcoming audit.
“As you are aware, we are certifying the airports right now. We are supposed to have faced the ICAO safety audit in November but they moved it to March, which is the date they have given us and we are working assiduously to conclude everything in February and prepare them for March,” Omeogu said.
In the latest rating, the Lagos airport has been named the third out of 10 top airports in Africa and if Nigeria passes the audit, the country will climb the ladder and earn a reckoning in world rating.
