What is Mhd. Buhari going to do in Nigeria?
 

This was certainly a historic election, but I'm not sure what to make of it. I'm curious what he will do in transportation infrastructure (airports/rail) and airlines. Also, any thoughts on who he will appoint as MOT?

Appoint bokka haram members to all positions?

Feed all the countries cash to his Swiss bank account?

Kill all those he feels a threat?

I just can't see how someone who took power illegally through a military coup can be elected to high office...I sometimes think that some parts of Africa just aren't ready for democracy.

@zebiak
The biggest casualty will be Arik Air. The big man is either going to get nabbed for his role in the power sector or the enormous airline debt which is not being serviced. Or both. Most likely both.
The most likely scenario will be the merger of Arik and Aero as they are both technically owned by the government.
Also the business jet bubble is going to burst. By the end of the year, the sector will be about 10% of its current size.

@Manuver......so if there's 150 biz jets, you think there will end up being 15? I don't see that happening. I wonder if he'll keep the Aviation Minister or put in someone of his own choosing?

Manuver . . . thanks, I didn't realize Arik was bailed out and now controlled by the gov't. You know more than I do about these matters -- one more thing, do you think West Link will get off the ground (no pun intended)? They've had their AOC for a while and I believe there were going to fly a triangle route with 37's to Abuja, Lagos, and Port Harcourt.

Tout Osita chidoka
 

Zebiak, by MOT I suppose you mean Minister of Transport? In Nigeria, it's Min of Aviation. Some are pushing for the incumbent on twitter, because he is touting local pilots and techs, who are being outplayed by expats in their own land. Only guy to do so in decades too

He'll rape the country blind and be like just about every other Nigerian politician in power for the past umpty ump years!

Some Companies start something like so called Embargo, Aero(government company), Arik refused, and Some other private like Air peace is on the road...
but I don't think will last so long.
Soon they will lift this embargo and start to take foreigners as usual.

This is an article of last month:

Airline operators are set on a collision course with the federal government over recent directive by the Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka that all airlines operating in Nigeria must have a Nigerian pilot onboard their fleet of aircraft to reduce the number of unemployed Nigerian pilots currently put at 327.
While the minister believes the move would help to reduce growing number of unemployed Nigerian pilots, airline operators said the policy will not work as previous implementation did not yield good result. They argued that they had recruited and trained some Nigerian pilots in the past only for them to move to another airline shortly after they might have completed their certification examinations, stressing that such an exercise has no benefit to them.

Now that the policy seems not to have gone down well with some airlines, they have vowed to resist the move due to the perceived losts coming to them from the exercise. For example, the biggest airline in West African sub-region, Arik Airline claimed it had lost over $10bn on training Nigerian pilots who at the end of the day cross over to other countries to continue their career.

Speaking with Nigerian NewsDirect in an exclusive telephone chat, the Chairman of Arik Airline, Sir Arhumemi-Ikhide explained that they have shown Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), documents to back their reason Arik Airline, with a fleet of over 25 aircraft, will not obey such policy.

According to him, “FG said that we should train unemployed Nigerian pilots but world over, it is the government that trains pilots. Go to South African Airways or Indian Airways; they all withdraw from a government trained pool of pilots.”

He added that, “aside the fact that it is not our responsibility to train pilots, we have trained many Nigerian pilots in the past without good result to show for it. Remember, we are the only airline operating a Next Generation (NG) aircraft in Africa.

“Do you know that when we finished training these unemployed Nigerian pilots, they go to the Middle East to continue their careers. After disappearing, we will suddenly see them re-surfacing in countries like the United Arab Emirates or Afghanistan airlines operating.

“We are the ones who trained them. We have spent over N10bn to train Nigerian pilots in the past; but it is like putting water in a basket. It’s a waste of capital. After training them, we send them to European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) where they are issued European licence, but at the end of the day, they all elope to the Middle East.”

When asked if airlines could bond these pilots to checkmate the continuous waste of capital due to the pilots eloping to other countries after being trained, he explained that bonding is not effective in Nigeria.

In his words, “we have bonded them in the past but that is not effective in this part of the world. The system is not effective when it comes to bonding. Most of them will elope under the cover of gathering experience from foreign airlines. They will elope under the pretext that they will come back after gathering foreign experience.

“When we complained to NCAA, what we heard was shocking. NCAA told us that it is a free world, that since the pilots have their licences, they should not be subjected to any form of bonding or contract. Meaning that all money spent on them is a waste of fund.

“For us to accept to train any more unemployed Nigerian pilots, NCAA has to sign an undertaking with us. We have learnt our lessons and we have the list of pilots we have trained with our money. They are about 18. None of the Nigerian pilots we trained in the past is working with Arik Airline.

“We have spent so much money to train Nigerian pilots in the past. When they are in the training school, we keep paying them. We have our evidences to show for this. We cannot continue to throw money into a basket.”

When told that some Nigerian pilots still work with Arik Airline, he explained that, “those Nigerian pilots currently working with Arik Airline are people who were trained by their parents in the United States of America (USA) or the United Kingdom (UK).

“None of the 18 Nigerian pilots we trained in the past currently work with Arik Airline. They have all gone even when some of them were bonded. Most of them went abroad to work, and because we cannot force people to work with us, it is a waste of fund.

“We are currently talking to the government on this issue. Most of the time, government makes policy without consulting the airlines. We are the only one that has trained people in the past, but the Ministry of Aviation said they are not aware of this, but NCAA is aware. We have shown them the list of the trained 18 that have disappeared.

“NCAA needs to make an undertaking that after training, they will not elope. The government has to make laws that will make airlines comfortable. Those unemployed pilots complaining are also looking for an opportunity to elope. That is what they do.” It was not clear at the time of compiling this report whether the minister of aviation will take the issue lightly as the operators have vowed not to obey his order. Mr Osita Chidoka was appointed aviation minister last year to revive the aviation sector within six months of operation.
Source: newsdirectonline.com

Dash200 and Evaneplus
 

Dash200 - Thanks for the clarification. I believe that touting and even preferences for hiring locals is all good; however, absolute mandates don't do anyone any good. The industry will founder and, in the end there will be more expats than ever.

Evaneplus - I hope you're wrong, but I can't fault you for being skeptical.

J74

The Arik boss is lying through his teeth. Most of the pilots Arik trained at NCAT still work for Arik. Secondly, very few Nigerian pilots have left Arik for foreign airlines. Probably 10, a minute number considering approximately 1000 pilots have fled Arik Air in the last 7 years. The turnover is high among both local and expatriates, probably higher among expatriates.
Also, Arik never sent anybody to EASA for training, EASA is a regulatory body not a training organisation.
Mr j, you can't expect people to stick with you when you don't pay their salaries

My thoughts exactly.

Word I have from some reasonably connected people is that aviation is seen as fundamental to helping the Nigerian economy grow again. Not sure where the comment re business aviation shrinking comes from but it doesn't fit with what I have heard.

Contrary to some of the playground comments posted on here, the election passed peacefully and was found to be fair. Granted this is new territory for Nigeria, but it is a welcome sign that the old guard with their old fashioned ways, are now being marginalised. In a previous time the new President did indeed seize power in a coup, and he did so to get rid of the corrupt Govt who were abusing powers and siphoning away the countries monies. After 18 months (from memory) he stood down and elections were held. It is reported that monies are being returned to the Nigerian Government by deposed ministers worried that they will be sent to jail for their misdeeds.

Early days, but I have a feeling that under this President, Nigeria has an opportunity to advance and bring infrastructure up to speed, including aviation.

I am not Nigerian and do not have any connection with the new Government. I do have a good many contacts in Nigeria.

Capt. Manuvar,

Iposted just an article even if my thoughts are the same of you!
Besides that, Capt.AA of Arik, he's lier too, cause the young nigerian guys being accepted in Arik, are those people self financing themselves and they need to come from CAE If i'm not wrong.

Apart of that, what do yuo think about the Embargo?..do yuo really think that Nigeria would rise this bareer?
I heard someone already blocked the expatriate employment, is that true?
and if true, till when?
:)

Surely not, indeed!
 

"After 18 months (from memory) [Buhari] stood down and elections were held."

No, Buhari was ousted by General Babangida, and then a long and very damaging period of dictatorship ensued, particularly under Sani Abacha. I think that this commentator is mixing Buhari up with Obasanjo, who did step down to be replaced by a civilian government, one ousted by a coup involving Buhari. Buhari lost power in another coup; he did not step down, nor did Nigeria return to civilian rule post-Buhari.

"Early days, but I have a feeling that under this President, Nigeria has an opportunity to advance and bring infrastructure up to speed, including aviation." To have this "feeling" probably requires that you know rather little about Buhari's previous form, as you seem to, despite your "good many contacts in Nigeria." This is not "new territory" for Nigeria, not at all.

Thanks Chuks for tidying up my post. I shouldn't rely on memory so much.

The 'New Territory' I was alluding to was to do with an incumbent Government being voted out of office rather than having office taken from them by force. The voting of the people also seems to have been less down tribal and religious grounds than before, though obviously these are still relevant.

Well, I spent quite a bit of time there in Nigeria, looking at the aviation scene from the inside out, when I do not share your optimism.

Why, I even had my Cessna 402 christened by Maryam Babangida one hot, bumpy afternoon, just before landing at Minna Airstrip, when I then had to find a rag and a bucket full of water to get it back to its previous state. How's that for being some sort of aviation insider?

We should now see a period of "rooting out corruption," meaning "Okay, you lot! You had your turn at the trough, but now it's our turn," followed by "business as usual." That's my guess, but, hey, pigs could fly, so that your sunny vision of a complete change of tack might be right. Give it a year or two and then we can see who's got it right this time.

There is no harm in having a bit of optimism in what might be. I don't think it's right to write-off someone or something this early. The guy hasn't been sworn in yet. I admit that it will be naive of us to think that things will change all of a sudden or that it won't be business as usual but people don't seem to expect anything good to come out of Africa and are quick to play down any form of hope.

If I recall correctly some western countries felt elections will not hold in Nigeria, yet it did. They also said Nigeria will split in 2015 but no sign of that happening yet. There is always a new beginning so let's hope this is one for Nigeria

You don't think that's exactly what's happening as we speak, with Boko Haram carving into the North?

Only time will tell but my unbiased opinion is that the country is far from falling apart any time soon.

BH carving into what? Oranges?

My friend, they're not carving anything, they've misplaced their knives.