There Is No Immediate Solutions To Aviation Industry Crisis – Minister Of Aviation, Hadi Sirika

Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika

Hadi Sirika, the Nigerian Minister of Aviation, has disclosed that there is no immediate solution to the worsening crisis in the aviation sector.

Speaking during an emergency meeting with the Airline Operators Association of Nigeria (AON) in Abuja on Tuesday July 26, Sirika said the variables impacting the crises in the aviation sector are beyond the industry’s control.

Pointing out that the situation was further compounded by the lingering scarcity of foreign exchange because the source of earning forex has dwindled, the Minister stated that there is no short-term solution because of the challenges which he claimed is a global problem.

He said;

“There is no immediate solution.

“Energy crisis is real and it is global. Today there are aviation fuel problems all over the world. From America to New Zealand. It is aggravating in Nigeria because we don’t produce the product.

“As we speak, the government is in the process of finding a permanent solution to this issue”

Sirika added that some of the solutions being considered include “importation of the product at appropriate price, accelerating the refurbishment of our refineries and also wait for the coming on stream of Dangote Refinery to boost supply of the product.”

The solutions according to him;

“Cannot be soon.

“So when you ask how soon, I wouldn’t know when Dangote will come on stream, I wouldn’t know how soon the refineries will be filled. I wouldn’t know when imports would become sufficient. But the government is working towards all these to happen”

Mr Sirika said he will be meeting with relevant stakeholders including the Central Bank of Nigeria to see how the airlines can access dollars at the official market rate rather than the black market rate.