Domestic cargo agents at local airports nationwide are targeting potential capacity in air freights, urging local airlines to key into the emerging market.
Under the aegis of the Domestic Airport Cargo Agents Association (DACAA), the agents said the current 200 tonnes of domestic air freights weekly could increase by at least 200 per cent with the buy-in of more local airlines.
At the inauguration of the association’s Board of Trustees (BoT) and patrons, recently in Lagos, the DACAA specifically rallied the duo of Air Peace Airline and Ibom Air to open up for the business of unaccompanied cargo operations for extra revenue.
Chairman of the BoT, Ikpe Nkanang, disclosed that the body currently processes an average of 50 tonnes of domestic air cargo weekly in Lagos, and over 200 tonnes nationwide.
Nkanang added that there are more cargo businesses that local airlines could explore to more than double the current freight capacity for the mutual benefit of the industry.
He said: “Air Peace has the largest fleet and Ibom Air is also large in its capacity. So, we believe that if those two airlines open their cargo rooms, then we will be able to pass a lot of cargo through them.
“The airlines are wasting funds. There are times when the passenger traffic is low and the cargo rooms are empty. We should fill it up with cargo that will generate revenue for them and employment for those working in that industry.”
Nkanang further called on the federal government to support the cargo industry with solutions and policies that would help Nigeria attain its height as the cargo and aviation hub of the continent.
He said: “We call on the authorities to provide the infrastructure that will make Lagos the hub of air cargo in Africa. With the population of what we have and the industries, the cargo business is not easy. We call on the authorities to provide the infrastructure that will make Lagos the hub of air cargo in Africa,” Nkanang said,
Head of Department, Cargo Operations at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, John Ekpe, commended the agents’ contributions to the industry and pledged FAAN’s commitments to an enabling environment for safe and efficient cargo service delivery.
Ekpe disclosed that the Authority has planned to open new cargo terminals at the General Aviation Terminal in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja Airports.
The Acting Chief Operating Officer of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), Remi Jibodu, said the industry must also innovate so as not to be left behind in the global community.
Jibodu noted that the global community had already gone into digital cargo and Nigeria should key into the trend.
He added that referrals grow the business and a lot had to be done on awareness for more people to embrace air cargo.
