The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria ( FAAN) has inaugurated an aviation cargo roadmap development committee.

The committee, its Managing Director, Captain Rabiu  Yadudu, said had been saddled with a six-point agenda, part of which is to identify  challenges in processing enough cargo freighting for   airports.

Yadudu said the plan of the committee is to examine the cargo freighting value and articulate appropriate strategies to  move Nigeria, from its fifth position in Africa to the second position in air freight by 2027.

The FAAN boss appointed Mr. Ikechi Uko Coordinator of the assignment, stating that the Secretariat would be domiciled within the Directorate of Commercial and Business Development of FAAN.

Yadudu said:  “It is our belief that your road map guideline will be able to address the ways by which our aviation cargo processing and facilitation will increase in volumes to rank us among the first or at least the second in Africa before or by 2027.

“Currently, we are in the fifth position in Africa, having facilitated only 204, 649 tonnes  of cargo in 2021. The first airport facilitated only 363,204 tonnes in the same year. And in Domestic Cargo we facilitated only 8,895 tonnes  in 2021.

“By our projections of 25 per cent on a year-on year incremental basis, we expect to be ranked first or second in Africa by or before the year 2027. With you, certainly, we can achieve this.”

According to him, the six terms of reference involve articulating action plans that meet international best practice and assign timelines for facilitation of cargo processing at  airports.

The committee is also to articulate guidelines that meet international best practice for Public-Private Partnership in developing modern cargo infrastructure and facilities for optimum air-cargo facilitation that meets destination country’s standard.

It is also expected to articulate programmes  and incentives that will encourage mass participation of local airlines in domestic cargo facilitation.

The committee is expected to articulate mechanisms that will bridge the turn-around time in cargo facilitation and articulate solutions to lack of adequate insurance coverage in the cargo value chain.

The FAAN boss further said the committee is to proffer suggestions that may help the country achieve the desired goal in cargo business in our airports.