By Ayoola Olaitan
The Director-General of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Musa Nuhu, said the agency lost ninety percent of its revenue to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Nuhu made this known at a forum yesterday, organized by the NCAA where readiness of each of the stakeholders in the aviation industry and value chain was presented.
He, however, reassured airlines of government’s commitment to provide the bailout for airlines.
According to Nuhu, “We (NCAA) have lost over 90 percent of our revenue in the last three months or so. We are operating basically on our reserve, which is about to run out,”
Nuhu posited that the palliatives might be in the form of grants and loans. The loans will be long term, with single-digit for the entire aviation industry, including the NCAA.
He said the airlines were not alone in the waiting line, as other operators and regulators, had losses, which they need to cushion with the bailout fund.
The Director General had earlier stressed that airlines and airports must meet the regulator’s conditions before restarting operations.
At least five of the nine local commercial airlines will this morning take to the skies in a restart of scheduled flight services following three months lockdown due to the pandemic.
Aero Contractors, Azman Air and Max Air Limited have failed to meet the regulatory approval to resume operations, while Air Peace, Arik Air, Dana Airlines, Ibom Air and Overland Airways Limited are the five airlines that had been given approval to fly.
Only the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos would commence operations today, the Kano, Port Harcourt, Owerri, and Maiduguri airports will reopen to flights on July 11, while other airports across the country will join from July 15.
Meanwhile, many private charter operators were, however, denied resumption approvals over alleged non-compliance with new safety regulations.
Recall that NCAA, in a letter dated June 30th, 2020 with reference number NCAA/DG/AIR/11/16/129, signed by the Director General Captain Musa Nuhu titled: Suspension of the Ops specs Part G (Aircraft Leasing Operations) of your organization’s Air Operator’s Certificate, communicated the suspension to the Managing Director of Sky Power Express Airways Nig Limited based in Kaduna and other eight aircraft that had been grounded pending a full audit of the organisations and compliance with all the relevant NCAA Regulations.
