Adedayo Olawuyi, the Chief Commercial Officer of United Nigeria Airlines, attributes the overwhelming presence of international carriers in the Nigerian aviation sector to the inherent weaknesses of domestic operators. During a recent meeting with the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents in Lagos, he noted that major global airlines like Emirates, Qatar Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, and Asky dominate the local market by offering vast, interconnected global networks.
Olawuyi argued that Nigerian airlines must pivot toward expanding their regional footprints and providing direct flight services across West Africa to challenge this status quo. He pointed out that many passengers use international carriers not necessarily to reach hubs like Doha or Dubai, but to access secondary destinations. According to him, local carriers must confront these international rivals by capturing their market share through direct regional routes.
Addressing the difficulties of regional expansion, Olawuyi acknowledged that high operational costs and low passenger numbers make it risky to deploy large jets on certain routes. He suggested that airlines focus on right-sizing their fleet to match demand and aggressively stimulating new market traffic. He noted that even seemingly quiet routes can see traffic volumes double within a year if managed correctly.
Finally, he highlighted infrastructure and bureaucratic hurdles as primary obstacles, noting that transit connectivity at Murtala Muhammed International Airport remains suboptimal. While he expressed optimism regarding efforts by Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo to improve the situation, he emphasized that Nigeria needs to modernize its airport infrastructure to enable seamless passenger connections, similar to successful global hubs in the Middle East.
