Positive signs suggest that Nigerian airports’ enduring problems with delays and excessive cargo fees may soon come to an end.
As suggested by the AviaCargo committee, the Federal Government is moving forward with developing a cargo bill of rights through the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, or FAAN, with the goal of increasing exports and eliminating corruption in the system.
A historical pattern of cargo leaving Nigeria being routinely rejected in international markets, especially in Europe and America, on the grounds of quality issues, has been documented in recent publications from Aviation World.
Notably, among African airports, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and Lagos Airport are at the top with outrageous fees. The International Air Transport Association, or IATA, has denounced this situation and said it is impeding the expansion and financial success of domestic carriers.
The worldwide air cargo business is estimated to lose $500 million per day due to delays and high fees at airports. Stakeholders stress that delays might result in significant financial losses.
Why foreign buyers reject Nigerian commodities – Uko
Speaking at the monthly briefing with FAAN Managing Director Mr. Kabir Mohammed, FAAN Aviacargo Coordinator Ikechi Uko stated that the project plan, which consists of five stages, is virtually finished.
He mentioned that compiling and drafting a report on the findings by subject matter experts is the other aspect of the undertaking.
He listed ten recommendations for execution that the Committee had made. The FAAN Cargo Bill of Rights, which ensures the prompt, transparent, and effective handling of every good that steps into any Nigerian airport, is one of the centerpieces of his presentation.
He claimed that the planned cargo settlement will convert unknown items into known goods.
Because Nigerian shipments are unidentified and untraceable, they are refused. Therefore, before export, the role of Aviacargo Village is to convert unsecured or unknown products into known goods. This is the international norm and ought to be implemented in Nigeria.
Nigeria should set up something akin to the IATA IOSA for participants in the cargo ecosystem, as it has done successfully for airlines.
“The industry will require a range of registration and certification levels, from farm registration to certification of freight forwarders, handling companies, and cargo agents.”
FG gets involved
In the meantime, the MD of FAAN has committed to helping with the creation of new SOPs, or Standard Operating Procedures, for the operators of Nigerian cargo ports.
The individual asserts that “the new SOPs and Service Level Agreements, SLAs, will effectively become a corruption free zone while it improves the integrity of the exports from Nigeria aside from reducing rate of goods rejection.” They also want to initiate and implement the cargo bill of rights.
He mentioned that FAAN is going to revamp all of Nigeria’s cargo operations with new Service Level Agreements.
“The quality of aviacargo business in Nigeria will improve with the implementation of a new five-level secure supply chain pathway, as it cuts across the entire value chain starting from the farms,” he stated.
“At the airport, nothing that cannot be tracked down or that did not follow the procedure will be allowed.
“FAAN management will attend the retreat for the report’s final production, as it will usher in a new chapter for aviacargo in Nigeria.”
