We don’t have immediate solution to Nigeria’s aviation crisis-Minister

Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika says there is no immediate solution to the crises in the nation’s aviation sector.

High cost of aviation fuel and difficulty in accessing foreign exchange has forced many airlines in the country to shut down.

Speaking during an emergency meeting with the Airline Operators Association of Nigeria (AON) in Abuja on Tuesday, the aviation minister said the variables impacting the crises in the sector are beyond the industry’s control.

“There is no immediate solution.

“Energy crisis is real and it is global. Today there are aviation fuel problems all over the world. From America to New Zealand. It is aggravating in Nigeria because we don’t produce the product,” the minister said.

He reiterated that the Nigerian government had in the past sourced 10,000 metric tonnes of aviation fuel for the airlines and that the government is willing to do more.

“As we speak, the government is in the process of finding a permanent solution to this issue. Some of the solutions in view include, importation of the product at appropriate price, accelerating the refurbishment of our refineries and also wait for the coming on stream of Dangote Refinery to boost supply of the product. But that cannot be soon.

“So when you ask how soon, I wouldn’t know when Dangote will come on stream, I wouldn’t know how soon the refineries will be filled. I wouldn’t know when imports would become sufficient. But the government is working towards all these to happen,” he said.

He also said he will be meeting with relevant stakeholders, including the Central Bank of Nigeria to see how the airlines can access dollars at the official market rate rather than the black market rate.