Ibom Air And Pace-Setting

In early 2019 the Akwa Ibom government established Ibom Air and thus became the first ever state government to operate an airline in Nigeria’s history.

From the initial fleet of two Bombadier CRJ900 aircraft, the airline has today expanded to four and counting.

It is usually the thinking and maxim that government has no business in business, but the Akwa Ibom Government has apparently turned the philosophy around.

Since the airline officially commenced full operations on June 7, 2019 on domestic routes, its patronage has kept soaring and its capacity expanding.

It could be recalled that when the idea of going into the business was first announced, critics had a field day in pointing out that government has no skills to run and manage such a sophisticated and gigantic venture.

But today most of the critics have themselves gleefully and comfortably used the services of the airline.

Read also: Gov Emmanuel Is Building Aviation Industry As Alternative To Oil Investment – Etteh

Perhaps they should rightly be forgiven because their logic was based on the inability of the Nigerian state to successfully operate a national carrier and how virtually public utilities and services in the country are crumbling like a pack of cards.

However, thanks to the tenacity and economic foresightedness of Governor Udom Emmanuel for seeing the vista of opportunities therein in the aviation sector and moving to explore them.

Today his vision is paying off and Ibom Air is exceedingly a lucrative venture and perhaps the biggest revenue generator into the state’s internally generated revenue.

Just imagine the huge revenues likely to be generated when the four aircraft, fully loaded, make their daily trips round their routes.

What the Governor Emmanuel Administration has achieved with Ibom Air is a masterpiece of economic diversification that Nigeria has since been paying lip service to.

There is no doubt that the aviation sector is a revenue spinner which Nigeria has woefully failed to explore and exploit.

With the growing realization that Nigeria and many states are over dependent on oil revenues for survival, the Akwa Ibom government has shown the practical way to diversification.

It is a wonder and embarrassment why Nigeria as the so-called ‘Giant of Africa’ no longer has a national carrier when most other African countries are proudly flying theirs as national symbols.

Today nations like Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda,  Eritrea, Djibuoti, Algeria, DR Congo, Sudan, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco,  Egypt, South Africa, Malawi, Botswana, Angola, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Seychelles, Cape Verde, Chad, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome & Principe, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Senegal, to name a few, all have flag carriers.

What a pride it is when airlines fly their national colours.  Nigeria cannot boast of that.

It therefore could be said that any nation which gives premium to tourism cannot afford to do without a flag carrier. Nigeria has never been serious in promoting tourism and therefore never gave serious thought to revamping its flag carriers.

But the Akwa Ibom Government is desirous of promoting tourism and allied industries as well as the diversification of the economy, hence the establishment of Ibom Air as pacesetting.

Given the ongoing success of Ibom Air, many states are most likely to follow suit. Ibom Air is a pacesetter.