By Dickson Omobola

Chief Executive Officer at Belujane konzult, Mr Chris Aligbe, weekend, warned critics of government’s plans to establish a national carrier to desist, saying the airline sub-sector needs a major airline to enable it grow.

Aligbe said it was saddening that a country of over 200 million people has no reliable airline, insisting that Nigerian flag carriers have shown their inability to compete despite government’s support.

The aviation analyst’s views are coming amid a statement by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Dr Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, that the President Bola Tinubu administration was considering a national carrier project if it was favourable to the country.

Addressing newsmen in Lagos, Aligbe voiced concerns about Nigerians’ inability to fly to various destinations seamlessly, noting that the situation was worrisome and deserved to be assessed.

His words: “The charge by the President to the Aviation Ministry via the Permanent Secretary is a welcome development because a country of 200 million people cannot stay without major airlines. Whether they are privately owned, national flag carriers, ordinary flag carriers or national flag carriers where government has some equity.

“Whichever, our country is large enough that it can really have about three formidable airlines in the global space. But a situation where we don’t have any airline of note is something very much uncalled for. To think that there are some people who still believe that government should not do it.

“Those who are arguing against a national flag carrier are arguing against Nigerians because they are insisting that Nigerians should suffer. Any reasonable person who knows about air travel cannot support a situation where Nigerians cannot have the best opportunities to travel seamlessly to their destinations, which is the present situation.

“The fact of the matter is that the airlines that are operating have left us with not much hope in terms of the progress the country is making in the airline sub-sector. They (Nigerian airlines) need assistance, they need some help, but the fact of the matter is that they have not shown that we can move forward with them. They have not demonstrated capacity.

“And when you say capacity, people think of the number of aircraft. It is not the number of aircraft. Capacity in the industry is multidimensional. Even managerial capacity, managerial competence is critical to it because even if you have five aircraft, 10 aircraft, the way you manage those aircraft and keep to schedule and everything is enough to show that you are on the incline.

“It (considering a national carrier project) is a directive in the right direction. And I hope, sincerely hope, that this will be implemented to the point.”