Kano, a city in northern Nigeria, has seen a surge in international airline operations in recent times, driven by growing business opportunities and improved security.
The city’s airport has become a hub for several international airlines, including Saudia, Qatar Airways, EgyptAir, and Ethiopian Airlines, which operate regular flights to and from Kano.
The latest addition to this list is Flyadeal, a Saudi Arabia-based private international airline that recently made its debut in the Nigerian aviation industry with a fourth-nightly-chartered flight to three airports in the country, including Kano.
Stakeholders say the increased interest in Kano as a destination for international airlines can be attributed to the city’s strategic location and economic significance. They say the airline’s presence on the route will deepen competition and reduce ticket prices on the route.
“The first aircraft in Nigeria landed in Kano. Kano has always been in the map for aviation economics. Along the line, Kano grew to become an economic power for Nigeria. It has continued to grow with movement of people into the state for commerce and business,” Olumide Ohunayo, industry analyst and director of research at Zenith Travels, told BusinessDay.
Read also: New international private airline debuts on Kano route
Ohunayo said that before now, the poor infrastructure at Kano airport, insecurity in the northern part of Nigeria, Sudan crisis and the economic downturn kept airlines away from the Kano route.
He however hinted that the narrative is changing, with improved insecurity, which has attracted international airlines into Kano.
“Nigerian airlines don’t have the capacity to tap into the opportunities on the route, so foreign airlines are seizing this opportunity by making contact with the Nigerian market and introducing chartered flights to operate out of Saudi Arabia. This is complementing their national carrier,” he explained.
BusinessDay’s findings show that Kano is one of the busiest airports in Nigeria, particularly for Hajj and Umrah operations, and has a thriving market with growing business opportunities. The city’s economy has been bolstered by improved security, which has enabled the transfer of funds, reduced insurgence-related issues, and increased spending power.
Seyi Adewale, chief executive officer of Mainstream Cargo Limited, said that Saudia and FlyNas used to be very big in Nigeria, as the Kano business community had a thriving trade relationships and partnerships with their North African partners, as well as Middle-Eastern and far Asia partners.
He said Ethiopian airlines were lured into this route around 2017 because of the huge tonnages and potential therein.
Adewale said these were however truncated over the years due to foreign exchange related issues, COVID-19 global pandemic, local insurgency, and lower purchasing power over the years. Also, these big freighter airlines faced their own country specific issues too, he noted.
“At present, it appears that the markets are getting back and progressively thriving with some of the recent past limitations tempering. It is getting easier to transfer funds. Insurgency-related issues appear to be reducing, and the spending power is increasing. There are potential credit facilities from friendlier creditors such as Islamic banking and many fund transfer gateways or channels,” he said.
Susan Akporaiye, former president of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies, said the new Kano airport and the opening of more business opportunities in Kano have continued to make the route attractive.
“The average Kano man is a business man and they kick against anything that would disrupt their business. And that is why there are hardly any reports of insecurity in the city. In Kano, they practice community policing, meaning all hands are on deck to ensure their businesses are safe,” Akporaiye said.
Kano has long been renowned for its entrepreneurial spirit and skilled craftsmanship. From the intricately woven textiles that adorned the wealthy to the delicate leather goods that graced the markets, Kano’s artisans have consistently demonstrated their mastery, attracting traders and merchants from far and wide.
Kano exports groundnuts and cotton, has a livestock and dairy farming industry, is rich in textile heritage, processes food and beverage, and trades in cement and construction materials, amongst others.
Samuel Caulcrick, former rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), said most of the traffic into Kano is to the Middle East and most prominently to Jeddah and Saudi Arabia, adding that there is a large community of northern Nigerians in Mecca and Saudi Arabia.
