The chief executive officer of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Capt. Rabiu Yadudu, has thrown his weight behind the first international aviation cargo conference, Chinet ’21.
This is according to the organisers of the event, Atqnews, who also explained that the conference will hold August 2021 in Lagos.
Atqnews is the premier African news leader in aviation, travel and tourism. For 16 years, it has partnered with the biggest travel exhibitions in West Africa, including Accra Weizo in Ghana and Akwaaba Travel Market in Lagos.
The publisher of Atqnews, Ambassador Ikechi Uko, said that the support of some Nigerian government agencies is a very welcome development.
In his words, “Nigeria has suffered for the first time in a decade a massive trade deficit, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Exports grew by 6% but still less than imports. This deficit can be seen at the airports every day.”
Probing further, Uko quried the status quo, with the aim of causing positive change.
According to him, “the question is, why is Nigeria not exporting goods in large numbers?”
Nigeria is a country of over 200 million resourceful people that has depended a lot on imported goods. This has been eroding the nation’s sovereign wealth.
A lot of International airlines bring freighters daily to Nigeria and most of them fly out empty.
Uko said there is need to change this dysfunctional scenario, with the upcoming conference playing a leading role in making that happen.
The Chinet Aviation Cargo Conference will be an annual conference that will aim to bring all potential exporters, cargo managers, logistics firms, airlines, airports, customs and everyone in the aviation and cargo economic ecosystem to chart a pathway that will enable Nigerians export more.
“We have already engaged stakeholders in Nigeria and abroad to find a profitable route to growing and networking the value Chain,” Ambassador Uko explained.
He further stated that, with the Covid-19 pandemic, many countries responded to the emerging global dynamics by seeking new supply partners for basic goods, an that this new reality has redefined the global supply chain.
Nigeria also needs to play a part in the emerging new cargo ecosystem.
The conference in view is expected to bring global experts to Nigeria to help exporters take advantage of the emerging scenario to grow the nation’s export capabilities.
The six areas that will be discussed by experts includes during the conference are:
1.Aviation capacity utilization
2.Export opportunities
3.Financing and insurance
4.Regulation and standards.
5.Packaging and
6.Market access
In his message, Captain Yadudu congratulated the conference organisers for such a bold move which, he said, will help grow the Nigerian cargo aviation industry.
Many airports and airlines are adjusting their processes to take advantage of the emerging cargo boom globally.
To this end, many speakers and major players in the industry have been lined up and many more will join the line-up.
Ambassador Uko said that partnership has been built across the board to make this event a huge success.
“As passenger figures went down with Covid-19 pandemic, cargo numbers went up and this is an opportunity for Nigeria to play.”
