Emeka Ugwu-Oju, the founder of the Nigeria Entrepreneurship Summit & Honors Foundation (NESH), asserts that Nigeria's aviation industry must promptly shift from a survival mindset to one of transformation to ensure efficiency, safety, and competitiveness on a global scale.
During an interview with ARISE News on a recent Friday, following a high- profile aviation roundtable in Abuja titled "CEO’s Outlook for the Nigerian Aviation Sector in 2026," Ugwu-Oju remarked that the sector has been too focused on merely staying afloat instead of restructuring its governance and service delivery.
"The key takeaway from the chairman’s opening remarks, delivered by Wale Babalakin through a representative, emphasized the need for the industry to focus not just on surviving but on transforming itself," Ugwu-Oju explained. "We must ask how we can revamp the aviation sector into what it should be, rather than continually questioning how we can merely survive."
He clarified that the purpose of the roundtable was to gather chief executives from both the public and private sectors to evaluate the previous year and establish a clear agenda for the future.
"This initiative aims to have CEOs from the public and private sectors share insights on the past year's performance and outline objectives for the current year, setting the stage for a review of the next CEO’s outlook in the following year—did we get it right or wrong?" he elaborated.
Discussing the prevalent concern over high airfares, Ugwu-Oju acknowledged the public's frustration but noted that pricing is influenced by various factors including operational costs, seasonality, and market dynamics.
He stated, "The topic of airfare affects every Nigerian. For example, someone traveled from Lagos to Abuja and mentioned their ticket cost around ₦95,000. Addressing seasonality is crucial."
Ugwu-Oju pointed out that fare increases during peak travel periods, such as at Christmas, often reflect operational realities—particularly on routes to the East.
"Rationale exists, especially for eastern routes, where the fare essentially reflects a return ticket rather than a one-way fare, as flights often depart fully loaded but return nearly empty," he mentioned.
Nonetheless, he warned that airlines should not price themselves out of the market.
"Ultimately, pricing results from both costs and market forces," Ugwu-Oju cautioned. "If travelers can’t afford it, airlines will see empty planes. Therefore, it’s essential that ticket prices remain accessible."
He stressed that affordability should not undermine safety or the sustainability of airlines.
"The challenge is ensuring affordability without compromising safety and the viability of airline operations," he said.
Ugwu-Oju emphasized that NESH's role is not to regulate but to advocate, serving as a platform for dialogue and facilitating outcomes for key stakeholders.
"NESH's primary mission is to create a forum for discussion, and then we can act based on the resolutions," he noted. "By understanding the challenges within the aviation sector, we can effectively instruct the government and private sector on necessary actions."
He labeled the recent aviation roundtable organized by NESH as its first in this sector.
"This inaugural aviation roundtable marks a significant milestone for us, and we plan to hold similar dialogues with other sectors, including healthcare," Ugwu-Oju expressed.
A significant issue raised at the roundtable, according to Ugwu-Oju, was the concerning levels of corporate governance among some Nigerian airlines, which he believes contributes to the frequent failure of airlines.
"Many ask why some Nigerian airlines collapse so quickly; it relates to corporate governance issues," he explained. "Certain companies have founders and their relatives occupying all board positions."
He cautioned against a narrow focus on ticket revenue without accounting for operational expenses, as this can conceal financial losses.
"There's often an illusion of profitability when ticket sales are high, yet behind that, losses can accumulate if costs are not properly managed," he said. "Lack of robust corporate governance allows for mismanagement of funds."
On the subject of regulations and passenger rights, Ugwu-Oju revealed plans by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for stricter enforcement in 2026.
"The NCAA's Director of Operations spoke about the measures they intend to implement next year concerning the treatment of passengers," he disclosed. "For instance, if a flight is canceled, airlines must ensure that passengers are not left stranded without support."
He stated that airlines will be held accountable for passenger care.
"If it means providing meals while passengers are waiting, that should be treated as a requirement, not a courtesy," Ugwu-Oju asserted. "If overnight accommodation is necessary, that must also be facilitated."
Regarding policy reforms in aviation, he underscored the importance of government leadership, mentioning that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development could not attend the event.
"Policy-making is a governmental responsibility," he affirmed. "There was a mix-up that prevented the minister from attending, although we did meet after the event."
Ugwu-Oju indicated that discussions with the minister are forthcoming.
"We will soon hold what might be termed a fireside chat with the Minister of Aviation to thoroughly tackle these policy issues," he added.
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