BusinessDay 28 Feb 2018

Wednesday 28 February 2018
Nigeria’s 12.08% Q4 2017 air transport
growth hinged on stable economy
IFEOMA OKEKE
Experts in the Nigerian
aviation sector
have hinged
the growth experienced
in the air
transport sector in 2017 on
relatively stable economy.
According to National Bureau
of Statistics (NBS) report
on Nigerian Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) on fourth
quarter of 2017, the fastest
growing activities in this
quarter were road transport
at a rate of 27.23 percent, and
air transport at a rate of 12.08
percent year-on-year.
Transport contributed 1.74
percent to Nominal GDP, an
incline from the 1.50 percent
recorded in the corresponding
period of 2016, and higher
than 1.43 percent recorded in
the third quarter of 2017. Annual
growth and contribution
stand at 13.60 percent and 1.57
percent, respectively.
However, the water transport;
air transport; transport
services, and post and courier
services sectors grew
… as airlines increase frequencies, open more routes
by 24.10 percent in nominal
terms in the fourth quarter
of 2017 (year-on-year). This
rate is higher relative to figure
recorded at 10.55 percent
for the corresponding
quarter of 2016 and 0.58 percent
in the previous quarter.
The direct impact of the
growth is that airlines are
increasing frequencies into
the country and opening
more routes.
Philip Akesson, country
manager, Travelstart Nigeria,
who confirmed this development,
said the increase
in ticket sales experienced in
Nigeria lately was an indication
that the stable economy
was helping to give more
trust such that the airlines
would keep investing.
“Delta Airline is commencing
Lagos to New York flights,
RwandAir is also adding more
flights and a lot of the airlines
are adding more flights and
new routes. Some airlines that
flew three times into Nigeria
before are now doing daily
now. The market is not like it
was two years ago, it is improving
and a lot of this is because
of stability, and it is good for
business,” Akesson said.
BusinessDay’s checks
show that Nigerians have continued
to embrace air travel as
ticket sold by foreign airlines
in 2017 was more than N200
billion higher than in 2016.
In 2017, air travel still recorded
ticket sales of N511
billion ($1.4bn) from January
to October 2017. The 2016
tickets sold as released by Nigerian
Civil Authority (NCAA)
put earnings of 30 foreign
carriers on Nigerian routes at
N330,548,324,796.84, a little
less than N385,909,897,028.
80 sold between January and
December in 2015.
Bankole Bernard, president,
National Association
of Nigeria Travel Agencies
(NANTA), said the huge tickets
sold by foreign airlines
showed that Nigeria’s economy
was on the upswing.
Bobby Bryan, commer-
Trade, investment activities employ 10.8m Nigerians in 2017, account for 18% of GDP - report
cial director, West, East, Central
and Lusophone Africa for
Delta Airlines, told Business-
Day that the introduction
of flights from Lagos to New
York was an important step,
as the economy and Delta
Airlines rebuild after the financial
crisis in Nigeria.
“The New York route is
the largest unserved route
from the United States to Nigeria.
This means there are a
lot of people who want to go
there. So, it is important that
the need be met. The clients
that will be going from here
are important to us. It is the
financial market; we are the
capital finance in Nigeria. We
saw a market that was not being
served and we thought we
had an opportunity to do so,”
Bryan said.
Competition will also
deepen for airlines going to
Dubai, Sharjah and London
routes, as one of Nigeria’s
leading airlines AirPeace will
commence flight operations
into these locations this year.
L-R: Ekuah Abudu, director of administration, Greenwood House School; Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome (Alibaba ); Olubunmi
Aboderin Talabi, author/publisher, Clever Clogs Books, and Funke Fowler-Amba, director, Vivian Fowler Memorial College, at
the launch Clever Clogs Books in Lagos.
Pic by Pius Okeosisi
C002D5556
BUSINESS DAY
37
NEWS
Anti-human trafficking campaign driven by legal
structures, not social project – Edo attorney general
Edo State Attorney
General and Commissioner
for Justice,
Yinka Omorogbe, says
the state government’s campaign
against human trafficking
and illegal migration is
rooted in legal structures and
is not run as social project.
Omorogbe, who is also
the chairperson, Edo State
Task Force Against Human
Trafficking, disclosed this in
Benin City, the state capital,
noting, “The strategy adopted
by the Governor Godwin
Obaseki-led administration
to curb human trafficking
and illegal migration is driven
by legal structures and is
being institutionalised with
the incoming legislation to
stem the menace.
“This is not a social project.
Obaseki’s vision is to
make human trafficking and
illegal migration history in
the state, as he is desirous
that trafficking ends while
he is still governor.”
The move to use legal
structures in the fight against
human trafficking is informed
by the fact that similar
efforts in the past only focused
on providing social
safety nets, which did not
solve the problem for years.
According to Omorogbe,
“It is important to have legal
backing for the campaign
against human trafficking. If
there is no legal teeth in the
fight against human trafficking
and all you are doing is
social project, you will not
be sending a strong message
against traffickers, who benefit
from the illicit trade.”
She added, “The state
government domiciled the
taskforce under the office of
the Attorney General to give
the campaign against human
trafficking the needed
legal structures it requires.
It must be noted that
the state government is
not against migration, but
will continue to encourage
those with interest to migrate,
to do so legally and
with the right papers and
qualification.”
We are keeping to our promise on
homeowners’ charter – Amosun
Ogun State governor,
Ibikunle
Amosun, says his
administration
was keeping to the promise
made in 2013 that all successful
applicants under
Homeowners’ Charter Programme
would collect their
documents unfailingly.
He stated this during the
28th edition of the distribution
of Certificate of Occupancy
(C of O) and building
plan approval to another
batch of beneficiaries at
the Arcade Ground, Oke-
Mosan, Abeokuta.
Amosun, represented
by the commissioner for
forestry, Kolawole Lawal,
said the consistency in the
distribution of C of O was a
prove that government was
working towards the development
of the state and to
also showed that the properties
belong to the successful
applicants.
‘’This is the 28th edition
of the programme, which
means promise made,
promise kept. If the state
government had not been
consistent, applicants won’t
have been opportune to
benefit from it,’’ he said.
The governor said the
issuance of C of O in the
past was challenging until
the introduction of Home
Owners’ Charter, which
has made it easier for thousands
of people to benefit.
Earlier in his remarks,
the coordinating consultant
of the programme, Niyi
Oguntula, said the state
government was committed
at ensuring that all applicants
who meet the requisite
criteria set out for the
programme were issued
with the documents. Speaking
on behalf of the beneficiaries,
Bello Rasheed
from Obantoko, Abeokuta,
thanked the governor for
keeping to the promise
made.
Reps probe non-payment of N9.1trn to local contractors
is first three quarters of 2017.
that the N9.1 trillion was
HARRISON EDEH, Abuja which Nigeria is building KEHINDE AKINTOLA, Abuja Government can reflate the
At the launch, Enelemah strategic trade and economic
relations. Switzer-
Nigeria’s House of Government’s indebtedness Contractors, thereby creating
approved to offset Federal economy by paying Local
Federal Government also pointed out a positive
on Tuesday said rebound in trade and investment
related activities in many useful lessons can be
is set to beam its “Federal Government the purchasing power of Niland
is a country from which
Representatives spanning over three years. employment and boosting
trade activities, both
import and export, 2017, impacting positively learned, from economic organisation,
to its world-class the allegations bothering tune of N9.1 trillion to local He maintained that the
searchlight on has been indebted to the gerians,” the lawmaker said.
employed over 14 percent on the economy.
of the Nigerian workforce, On the highlight of the report,
the minister said, “The development model, to its trillion appropriated for years as reflected in the remarked
in the 2017 budget
apprenticeship and skills on non-payment of N9.1 contractors in the last three sum of N20 billion was ear-
equivalent to 10.8 million
Nigerians, adding that trade report identifies the priorities
in Nigeria’s trade policy, ness models.
past few years.
Nigeria and the Debt Mancal
contractors and other
high-technology and busi-
local contractors over the ports of the Central Bank of to settle debts owed to lo-
accounted for 18 percent of
the GDP, which is second to and our use of trade policy as “Third, the NATPOR provides
a stewardship account obtained by BusinessDay, “The House notes that the “Some of those contrac-
According to the report agement Office.
liabilities.
agriculture that accounted an instrument for structural
for 29.1 percent of the GDP. transformation for diversification,
modernisation, of the NOTN, from its estab-
was approved in the 2017 ernment to finance the 2017 loans from various com-
of the efforts and accounts a paltry sum of N20 billion inability of the Federal Govtors
may have collected
Okechukwu Enelemah,
minister of industry, trade construction of regional and lishment on 10th May, 2017, Appropriation Act to offset budget deficit and meet its mercial Banks or other
and investment, gave the global value chains, welfare by the decision of the Federal
Executive Council.” Federal Government.
Ministry of Finance to source would be yielding interest
the debts incurred by the other obligations made the Financial Houses which
information at the official enhancement, job creation.
launch of the 2017 Nigerian “Gradually, working in In her earlier remarks, The resolution was for funds from commercial on daily basis or may have
Annual Trade Policy Report, close coordination with Anne-Beatrice Bullinger, passed by the House sequel banks and the Capital Market
through ‘Sukuk’ etc, while obtain such loans.
lost the collateral used to
NATPOR.
the Industrial Policy and deputy head of mission, Embassy
of Switzerland, lauded tion sponsored by Magaji the said fund has not been “The House is aware that
to the adoption of a mo-
The policy, which is first Competitiveness Advisory
of its kind by the present Council, we shall phase out Federal Government’s efforts
on the ease of doing concern over the plight of tractors.
have dependents, responsi-
Da’u Aliyu, who expressed used to pay indigenous con-
most of those contractors
administration, is facilitated export of primary products
by the Nigerian Office for to which value has not been business, pointing out, “The thousands of local contractors
amid lingering socio-
that with the country exit-
commitments, especially at
“The House further notes bilities and various financial
Trade Negotiations, headed added.”
Switzerland economic minister
would visit Nigeria next economic crisis.
ing from economic reces-
these trying times when the
by Chiedu Osakwe and the He also pointed out,
Statistician General of the “There is strategic focus in month to deepen stronger In his lead debate, Aliyu, sion which had adversely economy is experiencing difficulties
and unemployment
Federation, Yemi Kale, in the this first edition on Switzerland,
as a country with tween both countries.” tion of the House, observed ing of Nigerians, the Federal is rife,” Ahmed
economic relationship be-
who called for the interven-
affected the standard of liv-
period under review, which
observed.