LAGOS, NIGERIA – A Chief Operating Officer at Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Ltd., Mr Remi Jibodu, has commended Federal Government’s implementation of the Cape Town Convention agreement to help boost local capacity.

Jibodu gave the commendation when the executive members of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) made a courtesy visit to the company’s office on Wednesday in Lagos.

Bi-Courtney is the operator of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), Ikeja.

According to Jibodu, the CTC, implemented in 2024 will grant airlines easy access to dry leases, streamlining aviation equipment financing, cost reduction and flexibility in the choice of using local crew as against foreign crew.

“When you look at most of the aircraft that we brought in, maybe in November, December last year, you would realise that, because it was summer period, a lot of them were cheaper to get.

“It was at serious costs, even at that. I have airlines that have to return their aircraft because they can’t cope with the lease agreements.

“In Nigeria, unless you have private funds, if you look at the financial institution, vis-a-vis the current rate of about 30 per cent, inflation is about 24.7 or thereabouts.

“So, borrowing money from the bank it make it difficult to break even, especially when they are putting the cost in terms of lease agreement on you,” he said.

Jibodu believes that with dry lease, airlines would be able to maintain existing crew, which also would develop our own pilots in Nigeria, increase revenue and employment generation.

Jibodu, however, advised that in talking about capacity, the routes should be taken into consideration as  some routes are not very well serviced while others like Lagos, Abuja and Port harcourt are well utilised.

To balance the disparity, Jibodu suggested that government should endeavour to create trade centres in various airport locations to speed up economic activities.

Speaking on improving economic activities of some states, Jibodu advised that airline operation should not be considered only on one way but both ways.

“One of those things we encourage the government is to ensure that we develop the economic activities. We have new airports coming up, you know, states and all of that.

“The truth about it is that do they have economic viability for you to be able to sustain that airport? So we are looking at that, to ensure that when government increases the activity, the connectivity will be very easy.”

Jibodu hinted that the company was planning to adequately utilise the vast space available at MMA2, while leverage space at the terminal in the last two years with over 100 tenants.

Jibodu noted that the terminal welcomes about 10,000 up to 15,000 people, including the footfalls, that come in and out of the facility on a daily basis, he encouraged the government  to ensure that they expand what they are already doing.

According to him, even in terms of rentals, I think a bank is coming up again. So, we are going to be having more outlets. So we are not just an airport or an airline.

He said that after managing MMA2 for 18 years and with the achievements recorded, they should have that first right of refusal of any airport in Nigeria, affirming replication to other airports in the country and beyond.

On passenger traffic at the terminal, he said: “Fom April last year downwards, it was not as good as what we have from January. Immediately, Dana Air left, you understand.

“At some point, we also had very serious economic issues around July, August, when fuel went to about N4,000. It readjusted after one or two months. Then by October, it started picking up again and all of that. So we have this ups and downs.

” Averagely, it is better than what we had in 2023. We believe that we are still going to do better this year. Looking at the foreign exchange, I think it has come down to 1,400 and it’s a bit stable.

In his remarks, Chairman of LAAC, Mr Idris Suleiman commended BASL, urging them to continue to sustain seamless facilitations and continuous collaborations.

According to Suleiman, passengers comfort is uppermost in aviation business so the terminal management in collaboration with airlines must always ensure prompt, seamless facilitations to ensure they get to their destinations on time.