How Nigeria lost 131 airlines to poor management, accidents

No less than 131 airlines registered to fly in Nigeria’s domestic airspace on scheduled and non-scheduled flights have gone out of business, owing mostly to a hostile operating climate and poor management.

Scheduled flights are ones that have their schedule authorised by the aviation regulator months in advance. Non-scheduled flights are charter flights that are performed on an as-needed basis.

According to Vanguard Aviation World, before the foundation of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, in 2000, over 52 airlines were operating in the country.

The Authority began operations on January 1, 2000, and between then and 2022, a further 79 airlines failed, bringing the total number of failed airlines in the country to 131.

Remember that the NCAA was established by decree 49 of 1999, with statutory responsibilities including ensuring, regulating, monitoring, and promoting the safety, security, economic, and reliability of air navigation oversight in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and recommended practises (SARPs).

The country’s aviation sector is made up of 20 airports and several controlled airstrips and heliports; 23 operational domestic carriers; 554 licenced pilots; 913 licenced engineers; and 1700 cabin workers.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populated country, is a popular destination for over 22 international airlines. Nigeria presently has 78 bilateral air services agreements.

Many of the world’s business centres, including London, Paris, Frankfurt, New York, Johannesburg, China, Atlanta, Amsterdam, Dubai, and Jeddah, are accessible by plane from Nigeria.