The League of Aviation and Airports Correspondents (LAAC), on Monday, said it would discuss and proffer challenges to the state of the Nigerian aviation industry and the unpredictability of domestic airlines operations.
In a statement by the secretary of the LAAC Conference Planning Committee, Albinus Chiedu, the minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, would serve as special Guest of Honour while the Chief Executive Officer of CITIGroup, Dr. Thomas Ogungbangbe will chair the proceedings of the 28th edition of the conference.
Also expected are the chief executive officers of government agencies, airlines operators and other stakeholders at the brainstorming sessions taking place at Ikeja, Lagos.
According to Chiedu, the industry bigwigs will be geared up for the premier aviation sector discussion forum to dissect the seeming challenges and proffer solutions to the sector disturbing trends.
Keyamo, who confirmed his participation, alongside other industry major stakeholders affirmed that the leading aviation industry gathering will afford him the opportunity to exchange ideas with operators, business owners and others on how the country’s aviation sector can survive amidst the prevailing macro-economic environment.
According to him, “the challenges before us and the industry are not insurmountable. We need to come together, especially at the LAAC conference. It gives us the best opportunity to dissect the challenges one after the other and agree on the steps to take to reach and achieve our goals.
I urge stakeholders to come with open and progressive minds and let us take a good look at the sector which we all know has great potential to boost the GDP of our dear country and open doors of employment opportunities for our teaming population of unemploy professionals.”
Stakeholders described the theme of the conference: ‘Aviation Survivability Amidst A Challenging Macro-economic Environment,’ as timely against the background of the challenging state of Nigeria’s economy which amplified the already existing constraints to growth and development of Nigeria’s aviation in form of poor access to forex, weakening currency, high fuel costs, maintenance costs, poor airports infrastructure, regulatory constraints, growing manpower demands, technology upgrade, passenger comfort, among other issues that require urgent attention.
According to Albinus, the managing director of Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Engr. Umar Farouk will deliver the keynote speech while a former rector of Nigeria College of Aviation Technology, (NCAT), Zaria, Capt Samuel Caulcrick and the second vice president, Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), Dr. Alex Nwuba will present papers on topical issues.
According to him, a panel session is expected to be moderated by a former managing director of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Capt. Hamisu Yadudu with the Ag. director general, Civil Aviation, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Chris Najomo, the managing director/chief executive of FAAN, Olubunmi Kuku and Dr. Wale Babalakin, chairman, Bicourtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) being discussants.
Other dignitaries at the panel session are the chairman of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), managing director, FCM Nigeria, Adejoju Olutimayin, and chairman of Association of Ground Handlers of Nigeria (AGHAN), Olaniyi Adigun.
“This year’s edition of the Conference is very attractive to captains of industry because of the aptness of the issues to be discussed. With the volume of enquiries we have received and the quality of speakers, we have no doubt that the conference will produce a progressive direction for Nigeria’s aviation industry.
Friday, July 26th 2024 is just a few days away and we are looking forward to that day,” the LAAC Conference Planning Committee statement added.
