Managing Director,Belujane Konzult, Mr. Chris Aligbe has affirmed that the aviation sector in Nigeria is still an infant industry that is suffering from what he called ‘congelitant infantilism.’

Speaking to newsmen during an interactive session at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Lagos, Aligbe,who is a former Director, Corporate Affairs of the defunct Nigeria Airways, stressed that even though the aviation industry has being in existence since 1958, it still looks like an infant industry.

“When you look at the airline sub-sector, it is in a terrible situation, it hasn’t stabilized. So you can say that the aviation sector even though it has been created for a long time since 1958, down till now, it still looks like it is an infant industry, it is suffering from what is called congelitant infantilism”

“It has never grown, every time, it is behaving like an infant, like a toddler that has to be groomed with all its airlines struggling to survive” he affirmed.

Mr. Aligbe however pointed out that it was only one airline that Nigerians could boost of as a country which was Arik Air stressing that Arik Air was the only flag carrier that was recognized and rated amongst other airlines in the West African Sub-region and in Europe.

“If you look at the airline sub-sector, what is happening is that the only airline today that Nigerians can say gives us some recognition outside this country is Arik Air because of the equipment that they have. So we can simply say that there is a Nigerian flag carrier that represents us out there”

“Take away Arik Air, which other airline can we beat our chest and say this is our airline, in Africa, in the continent, it is only Arik Air that is rated amongst other airlines, amongst ten airlines, Arik Air is the only one” Aligbe stressed.