Emirates Airlines earns $5bn than Nigeria’s crude export yields in 2014

Managing Director, Omni-Blu Aviation Services, Mr. Akin Olateru has said that Nigeria needed to focus more attention to the development of aviation sector for it to earn respectable revenues just like other countries around the world.

Olateru who spoke with journalists during the weekend at the launch of Sesby's Travels and Tours Ltd portal, in Lagos said that the gulf carrier, Emirates earned a turnover of $24 billion in 2014 financial year in ticket sales while Nigeria earned just $19bn from crude oil exploration within the same period.

Olateru explained that aviation business was highly technical, sensitive and visible, but with marginal business profit.

He noted that the earning of the airline became possible due to the high infrastructure in place at the airport, stressing that with investments in infrastructure, Nigeria would earn more revenues from the sector.

The managing director decried that infrastructure had been the bane of the Nigerian aviation industry over the years, saying that the recently installed conveyor belts by Stella Oduah had packed up and slowing down luggage clearance at the airport.

He said, “There is solid airport infrastructure in Dubai airport. An airport can't stand on its own, even with the best airport and without the driver infrastructure on ground, the airport won't grow. There is massive security issue in Nigeria, which prevents airlines from flying into several cities regularly in the country.

“We all know that to fly from London to Lagos is about six hours, but at times, for you to get your check-in luggage out from the conveyor belts, it takes over two hours, but when you are in London, the same luggage can be gotten within five minutes of your arrival.

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