Nigeria moves to overtake Kenya in cargoes

Nigeria is working to overtake Kenya with the largest cargo volume in Africa in three years, the Aviacargo Committee has said at its meeting held at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in Lagos.

Nigeria ranks number five and hopes to meet the target leveraging its population, the number of airports and commercial activities.

The Aviation Cargo Roadmap Development Committee was inaugurated by the Managing Director of FAAN, Capt. Rabiu Yadudu, in December 2022 as part of the outcome of the Chinet Aviation Cargo Conference.

The committee headed by Mr Ikechi Uko, the organiser of the conference, was tasked with the responsibility of looking at the hindrances and challenges of cargo export.

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Stakeholders have raised concerns that while 10 freighter jets come into the country on a daily basis with imported items, they return to their destinations empty.

The committee is however tasked with the responsibility of reversing the trend with a target of 2027 to overtake Kenya which has the largest cargo volume in Africa and leading Nigeria which is currently number five, with 100,000 tons.

The committee recently presented the project plan and interim report to FAAN MD while three sub-committees on export, cargo and airport were yesterday inaugurated with a 45-day timeline to deliver.

Uko said: “Kenya doesn’t have the population of Nigeria. We have the largest economy. With the number of airports we have and the 15 cargo airports, there is no reason for us not to be number one in Africa.”