UNITED NIGERIA AIRL

CHUKS OKOH

Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo has decried the mounting operational costs, aircraft shortages and inadequate industry funding as putting severe pressure on Nigerian airlines.

Obiora then called on government for s total reform to ensure industry survival.

Obiora made this known in Lagos during the unveiling of two newly acquired Boeing aircraft B737-800 by United Nigeria Airline, Okonkwo said airline operations in Nigeria remain extremely challenging, citing the high cost of training personnel abroad, disruptions caused by aircraft unserviceability and the financial losses airlines incur whenever flights are cancelled.

“In the last three months, the industry may have lost N10 billion occasioned by the disruptions in air travel though not peculiar to Nigeria”.

He noted that carriers often have to reposition aircraft from overseas at huge expense to maintain schedules and protect passengers from prolonged disruptions, stressing that such realities make fleet expansion necessary.

Okonkwo urged the Federal Government to allow aviation agencies retain more of the revenue generated by the sector rather than remitting most of it to the federation account.

According to him, the current arrangement leaves regulators and service providers underfunded, limiting their ability to provide critical infrastructure and increasing the burden on operators.

He argued that better funding of aviation agencies would enable lower charges and create a more sustainable environment for airlines, adding that aviation remains a critical driver of economic activities and national connectivity.

Despite the challenges, Okonkwo expressed optimism about the industry’s future, saying the addition of the two Boeing aircraft reflects United Nigeria Airlines’ commitment to expansion and improved service delivery.

He called for stronger collaboration between government, regulators and operators to build a more resilient aviation sector.