Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, says there are no immediate solutions to the lingering crises plaguing the country’s aviation sector.
The Minister stated this during an emergency meeting with the Airline Operators Association of Nigeria (AON) in Abuja.
He said the variables impacting the crises in the aviation sector were beyond the industry’s control.
Domestic airline operators within the past months have lamented the sudden increase in aviation fuel, threatening to halt operations.
Airlines had earlier increased their flight base fare to N50,000 and above since February, with many Nigerians criticizing the move.
However, the lingering scarcity of aviation fuel and forex has forced some airlines to shut down operations.
Mr. Sirika on Tuesday said there is no short-term solution because of the challenges, adding that what ails the industry is a global problem.
The minister said, “Energy crisis is real and it is global. Today there are aviation fuel problems all over the world. From America to New Zealand. It is aggravating in Nigeria because we don’t produce the product”.
He also explained that the situation was further compounded by the lingering scarcity of foreign exchange because the source of earning forex has dwindled.
AON President, Abdulmunaf Sarina, said the aviation fuel crisis began from N180 per litre and that it is now pegged at N1000 per litre.
He said the forex crisis is also a huge burden on the Industry.
The AON President said “The rate at which the dollar is escalating now is very alarming. Every day, a difference between 10-15 Naira is added at the parallel market. Last Monday, it was N610 but today, it is N670 to one dollar”.
RN