The Nigerian Aviation Industry is a striving sector that accounts for the second highest share of transportation output. However, one of the challenges remains that the management of Civilian Helicopter traffic operations is grossly unexploited.
The Civilian Helicopter sector of the aviation industry is growing rapidly; seeing as it is predominantly used by private clients, oil producing companies, government officials and security agencies with research suggesting that there are approximately 700 Civilian Helicopter flights per week.
Presently, the federal government is not benefitting much in terms of revenue from the increasing operations of Civilian Helicopters in the country. This is because Civilian Helicopter operations in Nigeria, are not centrally regulated; hence, revenue which should be derived from take off and landing and other services, go unrecognized and unremitted.
Another challenge that the industry currently faces is gross insecurity that is a direct result of the lack of a central monitoring system. There have been reported cases of missing Civilian Helicopters, use of Civilian Helicopters for illegal supplies and charter, which are predominantly facilitated as a result of inadequate monitoring.
With Civilian Helicopter operations increasing in Nigeria, especially in the civil, commercial and private sectors, the federal government in 2019, approved the collection of landing Levies from all civil Civilian Helicopters operating in the country. The federal ministry of aviation, through collaboration with Naebi DYNAMIC CONCEPTS LIMITED, has been mandated to collaborate with Nigerian AirSpace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), to monitor all civil Civilian Helicopter operations, ensuring efficient and seamless collection of landing fess, everywhere in the country.
The training inaugurated on Friday, 4th February 2022, is the first of a continual process to train, mentor and employ at least 15,000 qualified persons across Nigeria in 5 years. We have taken a strategic position to commence our operations from Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River and Lagos states; and eventually expand to cover the entire federation.
75% of Civilian Helicopter operations in the country today occur in the Niger-Delta Region and so it follows naturally that most of our workforce will be from this region with the overarching aim of enhancing human capacity and reducing unemployment in the region.
In attendance: SGF, Governor, Port Harcourt International Airport Management, Minister of Aviation.
Naebi specially thanks the Minister of Aviation, who has been very helpful with his time, resources and expertise. He graced us with his presence on our inauguration through his representative, and we are grateful for his support. We would also like to thank the managements of NAMA, FAAN, NCAA, and other agencies who have offered their unyielding support to this project so far.