Aviation Stakeholders Applaud LAAC’s Conference For Impact On Industry

“There is no gainsaying that past conferences have greatly assisted in shaping the industry for the better. It has provided a viable platform for airlines, government agencies, travel agents, air travel passengers, captains of industries, seasoned aviation professionals and key stakeholders to brainstorm, share knowledge and ideas on the growth and challenges in the aviation industry in Nigeria.”
These were the words of the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Musa Shuaibu Nuhu in his keynote speech at the 27th edition of the annual conference of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) with the theme, Aviation Industry: Changing Times, Changing Strategies, held at Providence Hotel, Lagos, July 27th, 2023.
Nuhu, who was represented by the Director of Airworthiness Standards, NCAA, Engr. Gbolahan Abatan further said: “Your watchdog role, credible reports and indepth analysis founded on good critique of the industry has fostered and is still fostering stability in the industry.”
In his opening remarks, Chairman of the occasion and Director General of Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMET), Prof. Mansur Matazu said “the role of the media in nation building is very important and it requires courage, selflessness and truth while being patriotic. Such is the role of LAAC in the aviation industry. As the Nigeria’s aviation media umbrella body with the responsibility of ensuring adequate coverage and reportage of activities within the industry, LAAC is strategic to the visibility, relevance and growth of the Industry.”
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Aviation & Aerospace, Dr. Emmanuel Meribole is his speech pledged that “as a crucial stakeholder in the aviation industry, the Ministry would continue to collaborate and synergize with LAAC to ensure that the aviation industry continues to make giant strides in Nigeria.”
Meribole who was represented by Mr. Hassan Ejiboru added that “the Ministry would continue to maintain the tempo of collaboration and cooperation to ensure that our people get the best services required in the aviation industry in Nigeria. On this note, I will urge you to make available to the Ministry, the Communiqué issued at the end of this Conference, as the Ministry can leverage it to get more perspectives for the purpose of improving aviation in Nigeria.”
Earlier in his welcome address, Chairman of LAAC, Mr. Olusegun Koiki had said that the topics and discussions under the theme of 2022 edition, ‘Sunset Airports: Economic & Safety Implications,’ which was held at Sheraton Hotels on July 28, 2022, had generated a lot of reactions from the public, especially the government and some industry players who critiqued the theme and the resolutions reached through the communique, which was issued in a record time.
“You would agree with me that between then and now, the industry has witnessed a lot of changes, either forwards or backwards, depending on who is doing the assessment,” he said.
Koiki said “the industry is not short on ideas, but we are short on implementation. We need to start taking actions henceforth. What are the acceptable standards of practice in more advanced climes and how do we adapt them?”
“As stakeholders in Nigeria’s aviation industry, the improved performance of all aspects of Nigeria’s aviation industry is our major priority. It is in pursuit of this collective objective that LAAC has selected proven professionals in the sector to dissect the issues and articulate the way forward. The Nigerian aviation industry needs to be at par with its counterparts elsewhere because there is no local aviation industry,” added Koiki.
The 2023 LAAC Annual Conference & Awards featured a presentation of the 5th edition of TRAVELWATCH Magazine, an annual publication of LAAC, which attracted several accolades by participants at the conference.
The LAAC Personality Award was presented at the event to Mr. Sam Adurogboye, NCAA’s outgoing General Manager, Public Affairs, as the Best Aviation PR Manager of the Year while NIMET received an award as the Best Service Provider of the Year, 2022.