Anambra International Cargo and Passenger Airport, AICPA, targets making the country a cargo export hub in Africa.
The state government-owned airport has developed a master plan to engage cargo consolidators locally and internationally.
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Aviation World gathered that a total of 12 companies have already submitted applications for the construction of cargo warehouses, Fixed Base Operation, FBO, Maintenance And Repairs Operation, MRO, aircraft fuel dump, others, waiting for approvals.
The companies include, Air Peace, Link Global, Master Energy, Conoil, CITA, Afreximbank.
Others are Jkpeez Impex, Ndano Energy, Global Clean-Up, Folio, Zion Marines Ltd, Bachanam.
Meanwhile, there have been concerns about the country’s position in the continent as regards cargo operations, as stakeholders have lamented that the country loses $1 billion annually to non-certification of agric produce for export.
Currently, Nigeria is in number five position in Africa, with Kenya, Ethiopia topping the chart.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report on Foreign Trade in Goods Statistics for the second quarter of 2023, most of the commodities exported from Nigeria are transported by sea, with maritime transport accounting for a significant 98.94 percent of total exports.
In contrast, air transport contributes a mere 0.55 percent to Nigeria’s export volume, reflecting a significant opportunity for growth.
During a tour at AICPA weekend, the coordinator of Aviacargo Roadmap Committee, Mr. Ikechi Uko, stated that we have 20 cargo airports in Nigeria, yet we are not able to export, as the goods rots away in farms.
According to him, “We have visited Kenya, Ethiopia, and Ghana among other countries to see what they have done in terms of cargo exportation.
“Lots of our goods are rejected abroad due to packaging, not meeting specifications among others.
“Everybody knows that Nigeria is not doing well in the air cargo business. Our position in air cargo in Africa is very low and the solutions to ensure that Nigeria’s air cargo is booming necessitated not only the setting up of the committee but also led to the visit of Anambra and other airports in South East.
“There is a need to increase the volume of cargo, especially agri-produce from Nigeria to boost foreign exchange and to create jobs for Nigerians.
“Many cargo planes that arrive Nigeria to drop products fly back empty because Nigeria does not have much to export, yet we have airports all over the country but we have not been able to use what we have invested to solve our problem.
“For Nigeria to increase its export of farm produce it had to adopt a new strategy, which include finding out what the international market needs, cultivating crops following standard processes as every produce that would be exported has a known origin or provenance.
“So, traceability is very important because overseas you cannot consume what you don’t know the source to ensure that it was produced in a healthy manner and in a safe environment.”
However, AICPA, Managing Director, Martins Nwafor, told Aviation World that the major policy thrust of Anambra international cargo and passenger airport is efficient air cargo operations and handling as well as effective domestic passenger satisfactory flights and effective facilitations.
He highlighted that the airport project was initially scheduled to be delivered within 24 months but was practically delivered within 15 months and ready for full operation within 20 months.
In his words: “We had our demonstration flight on the 30th of April, 2021, which saw three airplanes of different sizes landing and taking off successfully.
“We have developed an airport masterplan which clearly defined and designated a location for the constructions, having taken into consideration the available agro-allied products that can be exported from Anambra to other international and domestic market
“We have developed a system to engage cargo consolidators locally and internationally.
“In Anambra, there are in commercial quantities the following agro products that can be processed or semi processed for export.
“The products include, root and tubers, grains and cereals, vegetables, agroforestry, fisheries and livestock.
“For third party businesses, AICPA provides land spaces in line with its’ commercial and investment policy guidelines for leases and Rentals.
“Request by some organization for land space lease to develop cargo warehouses, Fixed Base Operation, FBO, Maintenance And Repairs Operation, MRO, aircraft fuel dump and eateries.
“Airports make money through three main sources of income, aeronautical, 56 percent, non-aeronautical, 39.4 percent, and non-operating, 4.6 percent.
“On the 7th of December, actual commercial operation, with NCAA approval that heavily restricted us in three major technical areas, namely: flight rule (VFR), aircraft category (E), and fire and rescue services (Cat 5).
“Currently, only two airlines are operating scheduled operations, Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines.
“Yet to come amongst those invited are Dana Air, Ibom Air, Valu-jet, X-jet, Kanem Air, Aero Contractors, Arik Air, Green Africa Airways, Rano Air, Azman and Max Air for domestic operations. International cargo operations with Ethiopian Airlines are also yet to be concluded.
“The airport provides direct, indirect and catalytic job opportunities. So far, over 500 persons are employed at the airport.”
