Akwa Ibom State is fast emerging as a major aviation hub, not only in the region but in the entire country and beyond with the potential of contributing to the economic growth and development of the region in more ways than one.
Significantly, it has continued to grow its aviation subsector and its ever-busy airport, known as Victor Attah International Airport, named after its former governor, considered to be the father of modern Akwa Ibom and the brain behind the development of the aviation sector in the state, the sector has grown in leaps and bounds.
It all began with the launch of Ibom Air, a wholly-owned airline by the state which took the beautiful skies more than two years and has remained the most preferred and sought-after domestic airline operator so far.
Recently, the airline announced that it had attained its two million passenger mark and still counting with the promise to “set the standard as an airline of choice for passengers focusing on scheduled reliability, on time departures and excellent service.’’
Aniekan Essienette, the airline’s head of marketing and communication, while announcing the achievement in a statement pledged that it would continue to “work hard to maintain the high standards that we have come to be known for and what customers expect of us.’’
With a fleet of seven aircraft consisting of five bombardier CRJ 900 and two airbus A320-300, it currently covers seven destinations with “plans for regional operations by early next year as it prepares to expand its reach throughout the continent of Africa.’’
While taking delivery of the two airbus during a ceremony at the airport recently, he had given an indication that the airline would rival other major carriers like the Emirates and Qatar airlines, saying that the aviation sector was on the verge of witnessing a boom as it was set to become a foreign exchange earner for the state.
“We are going to open up this place by January next year for commercial activities, Akwa Ibom will be earning dollars from here next year, the facility will serve as a cash cow and will start spinning hard currency earnings from January,’’ he said.
The governor, who was referring to the smart terminal building in addition to the modern Maintenance Repairs and Overhaul (MRO) being built by the state government and nearing completion as the source of the foreign exchange earnings did not mince words when he said the facility would be a cash cow.
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Though there has been controversy over those behind the founding of the airline, this has been expressly addressed and put to rest as the air has been cleared about those who had the dream about its conception.
“The airline is pleased that all the people of Akwa Ibom State have now taken jealous ownership of it, to the extent that even some who had nothing to do with its founding and who, we may add, have no known aviation bonafides are now claiming that it was their idea,’’ the management had said in a statement.
The ability of the airport to be a thriving business hub is against the background of a smart terminal building and the MRO facility, which experts say will be the first of its kind in this part of the country, capable of handling one million passengers annually and receiving wide-bodied aircraft.
To become the hub for the industry, the MRO facility will be capable of taking two Boeing 747-800 series aircraft and eight CRJs at the same time, and this will be a big boost to the industry. Currently, according to experts, most checks carried out by airlines are done outside Nigeria. One can imagine how this will expand economic activities in the state and many airlines flying into the state for many of the checks.
To be fully prepared and properly equipped for the industry, many indigenes of the state have been sent for training abroad in specialised areas of aviation and some are about rounding off their specialisation and are set to return to join the airline.
For Francis Uwah, a project consultant and expert, the terminal building apart from being fully automated will create a positive impact on the state’s economy and would turn Akwa Ibom into a regional aviation hub.
This airport is unique in many ways, it has a digital self check-in operation, automated baggage screening and weighing, video/scene analytics and static object detection mechanism among others.
These also include daylighting and advanced occupancy and dimming functions to eliminate over-lit spaces, intelligent transport management system, fully integrated alarm and voice evacuation system and automation of immigration processes and centres.
Indeed, the state government’s investment in air transportation has been massive, and it would not be long before the returns start to be visible, in a sector that even the federal government has been unable to operate a successfully managed airline.
The Victor International Airport is not just a one-airline facility, it has other airlines jostling for space and ever growing air travellers from the airport who include the business travellers, tourists, students, and government officials, politicians as well as private individuals.
In expanding the operations of Ibom Air, the state government has signed a deal for an additional ten aircraft to be added to the airline’s fleet in the next couple of years.
Located at the tip of the southernmost of the Niger Delta close to the Atlantic Ocean, it would have been a daunting task travelling to Uyo and other cities in the state if no concrete step was taken to develop the sector. Before now, air travellers used to travel to either Port Harcourt in Rivers state or Calabar in Cross River state to board a plane for a journey to Abuja or Lagos or any other city.
But today, thanks to the vision of the former governors who have built on the legacies left behind by Obong Victor Attah, who thought it wise and expedient to build an export though his critics had faulted the decision but he appeared to have been vindicated today with the growing demand for air transportation.
For Governor Udom Emmmanuel who has not only expanded infrastructure in the sector, the determination to develop other means of transportation including land with quality road network across the state and the proposed Ibom deep seaport will not only enhance the economy of the state but will make the state more accessing from other parts of the country.
As observers have pointed out, turning Akwa Ibom into an aviation hub is a matter of time as all indications and commitments by the state government have clearly pointed to this goal.
