By  Kenneth Ehigiator

Unless more money is injected into the nation’s aviation sector, Nigeria’s quest of becoming one of the top 20 economies of the world would remain a dream, the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, NAAPE, has said.

NAAPE’s National President, Engr. Balami Isaac David, made the observation when the association paid a courtesy visit to Unity Bank Plc in Abuja.

According to him, government and stakeholders must ensure that more investments come into the sector because of the capacity of aviation to drive economic growth.

He lamented the fact that on ly a paltry 8% of Nigerians could afford air travel, despite the nation’s huge population strength of about 150 million people, describing the development as a fallout of inconsistent economic policies which had, overtime, impacted negatively on the people’s purchasing power.

The NAAPE boss, however, noted that the country had the potentials to become a great aviation nation in the world, if the right policies were enunciated to achieve growth.

He said: “The nation’s economy will be the better for it, as aviation is a critical success factor to achieve the national ambition of 20 @ 2020.

“Let me direct your attention to the success story of several Middle East countries like the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and even tiny Qatar that have invested heavily over the past two to three decades to bring their local aviation sectors to world_class standards.
“These are very small countries compared to Nigeria, with a population of over 150 million. Today, Dubai, one of the emirates that make up the UAE, boasts of the world’s largest cargo airport.

“Again, we must realize that about 60% of the population of a country like the United States flies commercial airlines. In Turkey, a country that is also striving to be a global top 20 economy like Nigeria, 40% of the population flies. In Nigeria today, less than 8% are flying. Therefore opportunities abound for Nigerian aviation to grow rapidly in the years ahead, so long as the sector is treated with the seriousness it deserves”.

He said NAAPE had designed a program of direct engagement with identified stakeholders in both the public and private sectors who contribute directly or indirectly to the success of the indigenous aviation industry, adding that this was the association’s way of contributing to the development of the aviation sector in the country.

In his remarks, Acting Managing Director of Unity Bank Plc, Alhaji Ado Wanka, pledged the continued support of his bank to the aviation sector.

He disclosed that the bank had already started financing aircraft acquisition for some airlines, and providing working capital for others.
According to him, the bank will continue to look for new ways of supporting the aviation sector in the country.

“We are very pleased to receive the leadership of NAAPE to our office, because it has afforded us the opportunity to interact directly with high level professionals who have hands_on experience about the dynamics of the aviation industry.

“We, therefore, look forward to mutually beneficial areas where our bank can collaborate with NAAPE in the near future,” Alhaji Wanka said.