Aero Contractors Managing Director, Captain Ado Sanusi, has said Nigerian airlines will remain unprofitable unless the aviation sector addresses operational constraints and implements genuine long-term reforms.
He made the statement during a panel session at the FAAN National Aviation Conference (FNAC 2025) in Abuja.
Sanusi noted that stakeholders already understand the operational constraints of running airlines sustainably in Nigeria.“We’ve all agreed that running an airline in this space and being profitable is extremely difficult,” he said.
He added that the key now is identifying the root causes of non-profitability and taking decisive action to fix them.
Causes of Airlines’ Operational Constraints
According to Sanusi, aviation agencies contribute to the challenges airlines face.
“We all contribute to airlines being extremely non-profitable be it FAAN, NCAA, NAMA or NIMET,” he said.
He stressed that these agencies collectively create operational constraints that undermine efficiency and revenue generation.
Sanusi explained that while safety oversight is critical, it often imposes economic burdens on airlines.
“When you do a lot of safety oversight and the airlines pay for it, you are eating into the profits they would have made,” he said.
He described this as a recurring operational constraint that erodes airline sustainability.
He further linked delays to FAAN’s infrastructural deficits. Poor passenger processing and morning congestion often lead to one- or two-hour delays, which airlines must compensate under NCAA regulations.
“FAAN’s infrastructural deficit translates into delays, and the NCAA will then come back to say you must pay compensation. That also eats into profits,” he said.
Sanusi emphasised that these delays represent a significant operational constraint that requires urgent attention.
Sanusi also highlighted the impact of NIMET weather reports, which sometimes force aircraft to return to base unnecessarily.
“If I’m taking off from Abuja and they tell me Calabar weather is bad, I may have to return to Abuja. That eats into my profit,” he said.
He described inaccurate weather information as another systemic operational constraint affecting airlines.
On NAMA, Sanusi cited training schedules for cadets during peak periods, which extend flight times and increase fuel consumption.
“When they train cadets at peak periods, we spend more time in the air and in holding. Again, that eats into our profit,” he said.
This, he added, further compounds the industry’s operational constraints.
Sanusi argued that past reforms and roadmaps have failed to resolve these operational constraints.
“We have had reforms, but I don’t think they were genuine. We have had roadmaps, but they have not taken us anywhere near where we should be,” he said.
He urged a new aviation reform strategy to ensure sustainable growth over the next 20–30 years. “We need a reform that will give aviation a chance for sustainable growth in the next 20 to 30 years. If not, the same problems will keep reoccurring,” he added.
He also addressed technology adoption as a solution to operational inefficiency. Aero Contractors is implementing artificial intelligence, electronic flight bags, and paperless work systems. However, regulatory approvals remain a bottleneck.
“You cannot be more efficient than the system you are in,” he warned. “The regulator must understand these technologies before we introduce them into our system,” he added, highlighting the intersection between innovation and regulatory oversight as a critical operational constraint.
NCAA’s Engineer Balang Urges Industry Collaboration on Master Plan
Engineer Godwin Balang of the NCAA responded, acknowledging the issues raised and stressing the role of the ongoing Civil Aviation Master Plan.
“If it is truly a Civil Aviation Master Plan, everything, safety and economic regulation, must fit into it,” he said.
He called on operators and professionals to actively participate.
“We need the industry to contribute to the plan to help us get clear direction,” he said.
Balang agreed that economic regulation is vital to balancing safety and operational efficiency.
“Economic regulation takes care of everything, including safety,” he said.
He assured stakeholders that NCAA is committed to addressing structural gaps and improving operational efficiency across the aviation ecosystem.
