By Dakuku Peterside A military officer who served as Nigeria’s Aviation Minister between 1985 and 1993 during the Babangida years once remarked that air travel was a luxury not meant for the poor. At the time, this comment sparked public outrage for its apparent insensitivity. Yet, more than thirty years later, that statement has proven eerily prophetic, as air travel has become increasingly inaccessible to most Nigerians.
In Nigeria, the significance of air travel is even more profound. With an underdeveloped transportation infrastructure and the risks posed by road and rail travel, air travel has become both convenient and necessary. Despite this importance, soaring ticket prices are reversing decades of progress, making air travel a luxury for the wealthy again.
The soaring costs threaten the accessibility of air travel for the average Nigerian, restricting mobility and posing a barrier to economic inclusion. This problem cannot be delayed for another day. It demands immediate attention and action.
This reality is compounded by Nigeria’s unique economic and infrastructural challenges, which have made alternatives to air travel scarce, unsafe, or unreliable. As air travel becomes increasingly out of reach, so do the social and economic benefits it brings, from tourism to job creation. To restore air travel as a widely accessible service, Nigeria must address its infrastructural, regulatory, and economic challenges with targeted reforms and strategic investments.
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