Flying Touareg
1st Jan 2007, 06:51
A HISTORIC boost came for Nigeria's aviation sector yesterday as China Southern Airlines began direct air services to the country.
At a ceremony to receive the airline at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, said that the Federal Government was planning to designate a Nigerian carrier to reciprocate the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) Nigeria had with the Asian carrier.
He noted that all the country needed to do was to be focused on the directive to take in doing that. The minister added that the government would not tolerate foreign carriers short-changing Nigeria in the payment of taxes.
His words: "All we need to do is to be focused and clear. We need to ensure that our standards are high, ensure that our carriers are empowered, diligent and hardworking as they are already. If we can do that, there is no reason why we cannot fly to Beijing via Dubai. It is a lucrative route and it's one of the things I have been fighting for and indeed it is right for us now."
Fani-Kayode remarked that there were more international carriers coming to Nigeria more than any other country on the African continent, noting that "they are ready and desperate to come here because this is the aviation hub of the African continent.
"What I would not accept as aviation minister is a situation where they come and cheat us. They must pay taxes; I will not allow an extra route where you do not have existing commercial agreements. I will not have it.
"Let me start by saying that this is a great day for Nigeria because when you have a situation where the largest country in Asia and the largest country in Africa come together for the first time, then something wonderful is happening," he said.
The minister reiterated that the relationship between China and Nigeria had grown tremendously in the last few years, adding that the development was a testimony to resilience and goodness of the great people of China who had to chart the course that many others were reluctant to make.
Asked if the autonomy of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) was a factor that facilitated the coming of the Chinese airline, Fani-Kayode said that the autonomy of the regulatory body had nothing to do with the influx of foreign carriers coming to Nigeria.
The Chinese airline is the first outfit from the Far East to operate in Nigeria.
The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Xu Jianguo, said it was his hope that the airline would contribute to the political, economic and mutual relations between China and Nigeria and between China and Africa.
Among those at the event were the Chief Executive of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Mr. Tony Elumelu, Political Adviser to the President, Mr. Akin Osuntokun and the Deputy Governor of Osun State, Mrs. Olusola Obada.
The airline will operate three frequencies to Nigeria with A330-200 aircraft to the country.
The China-Nigeria economic relations and trade have seen remarkable growth over the past years with the two-way trade volume peaking at $2.83 billion in 2005.
At the beginning of 2006, Chinese state oil company, China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC), acquired a 45 per cent stake in an undersea oil operation in Nigeria at the value of $2.27 billion, its biggest foreign acquisition.
A direct air link is believed to be a great help for the business of an estimated one million Chinese who are doing business in Nigeria. China Southern Airline is the largest airline in the People Republic of China.:ok:
At a ceremony to receive the airline at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, said that the Federal Government was planning to designate a Nigerian carrier to reciprocate the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) Nigeria had with the Asian carrier.
He noted that all the country needed to do was to be focused on the directive to take in doing that. The minister added that the government would not tolerate foreign carriers short-changing Nigeria in the payment of taxes.
His words: "All we need to do is to be focused and clear. We need to ensure that our standards are high, ensure that our carriers are empowered, diligent and hardworking as they are already. If we can do that, there is no reason why we cannot fly to Beijing via Dubai. It is a lucrative route and it's one of the things I have been fighting for and indeed it is right for us now."
Fani-Kayode remarked that there were more international carriers coming to Nigeria more than any other country on the African continent, noting that "they are ready and desperate to come here because this is the aviation hub of the African continent.
"What I would not accept as aviation minister is a situation where they come and cheat us. They must pay taxes; I will not allow an extra route where you do not have existing commercial agreements. I will not have it.
"Let me start by saying that this is a great day for Nigeria because when you have a situation where the largest country in Asia and the largest country in Africa come together for the first time, then something wonderful is happening," he said.
The minister reiterated that the relationship between China and Nigeria had grown tremendously in the last few years, adding that the development was a testimony to resilience and goodness of the great people of China who had to chart the course that many others were reluctant to make.
Asked if the autonomy of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) was a factor that facilitated the coming of the Chinese airline, Fani-Kayode said that the autonomy of the regulatory body had nothing to do with the influx of foreign carriers coming to Nigeria.
The Chinese airline is the first outfit from the Far East to operate in Nigeria.
The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Xu Jianguo, said it was his hope that the airline would contribute to the political, economic and mutual relations between China and Nigeria and between China and Africa.
Among those at the event were the Chief Executive of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Mr. Tony Elumelu, Political Adviser to the President, Mr. Akin Osuntokun and the Deputy Governor of Osun State, Mrs. Olusola Obada.
The airline will operate three frequencies to Nigeria with A330-200 aircraft to the country.
The China-Nigeria economic relations and trade have seen remarkable growth over the past years with the two-way trade volume peaking at $2.83 billion in 2005.
At the beginning of 2006, Chinese state oil company, China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC), acquired a 45 per cent stake in an undersea oil operation in Nigeria at the value of $2.27 billion, its biggest foreign acquisition.
A direct air link is believed to be a great help for the business of an estimated one million Chinese who are doing business in Nigeria. China Southern Airline is the largest airline in the People Republic of China.:ok: