Nigeria’s political and financial affiliation with the UK dates again to the colonial period, and even past, the financial ties between the 2 nations have continued to flourish 64 years after Nigeria’s supposed independence. Nevertheless, the 2 international locations have remained unequal in a relationship closely skewed in favour of the British regardless of the seemingly mutual ties.
In line with information from the UK Division for Enterprise and Commerce, commerce in items and providers between the UK and Nigeria stood at £6.5 billion within the 4 quarters main as much as the top of Q1 2024. Whereas the UK exported £4.1 billion value of products to Nigeria throughout this era, its imports from Nigeria amounted to £2.4 billion.
By way of no fault of the Brits, there are copious data to point out that the UK advantages tremendously from Nigerians who spend tens of millions of {dollars} yearly on medical tourism, schooling and aviation in that nation. As a matter of actuality, the UK additionally income considerably from the continued “japa” syndrome, a phenomenon so referred to in our native parlance wherein Nigerian youths migrate in the hunt for higher alternatives outdoors the shores of the nation.
Within the well being sector alone, it’s estimated that no fewer than 26,000 Nigerian well being staff are within the UK. The Medical and Well being Staff Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) cited British authorities data displaying that 18,224 Nigerian well being staff had been granted UK visas in only one yr.
The “japa” pattern has led to large visitors on the Lagos/Abuja-London route, with airways making substantial income from passenger fares yearly. The Lagos-London is perceivably the dominant route for Nigerian vacationers. This route has lengthy been dominated by British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, each UK carriers.
Enter Air Peace
The entry of Nigeria’s airline, Air Peace, based by Allen Onyema, into the Lagos-London route has broadened the market by offering Nigerians and different vacationers with a comparatively cheaper various technique of flying out and in of the UK.
Regardless of going through operational challenges, Air Peace and different native airways proceed to make Nigeria proud. Many Nigerians who can afford air journey depend on these native airways, particularly for the reason that authorities has did not revive a nationwide provider.
The nation’s closest try to ascertain a nationwide provider after the demise of Nigeria Airways was the ill-fated enterprise by former Minister Hadi Sirika. The reminiscence of Sirika’s questionable makes an attempt continues to be contemporary, but the outstanding progress of native airways and regular enchancment within the aviation sector has generated important pleasure amongst Nigerians.
This exhilaration was evident on March 30 when Air Peace’s inaugural direct flight from Lagos to London landed at Gatwick Airport. Nigerians celebrated the doorway of a nationwide airline right into a market beforehand dominated by Virgin Atlantic and British Airways.
The ‘Resistance’
Nevertheless, as anticipated, some established airways and maybe some vested pursuits fearing a lack of passengers and income subtly resisted. Sadly, this resistance has been extra persistent than anticipated. One clear instance is the denial of a slot for Air Peace at London Heathrow, the UK’s major airport.
Air Peace has made relentless efforts to safe a Heathrow slot to no avail. The airline has been confined to touchdown at Gatwick airport. Why ought to Air Peace be restricted to Gatwick as a substitute of Heathrow Airport? It’s unfathomable that months after its inaugural flight, the Nigerian airline continues to be struggling to safe a slot at Heathrow.
It’s crystal clear that these vested pursuits which might be threatened by Onyema’s daring strikes are bent on irritating Air Peace’s entry into the UK route. That is a part of the intensification of worldwide geopolitics, the general goal of which is to additional weaken Nigeria’s economic system and maintain it perpetually depending on the West.
Essentially, the thought is to, for a begin, restrict the alternatives accessible to Air Peace on the UK route and, in the long term, frustrate this patently patriotic Nigerian provider out of the route.
FG’s Pushback
Happily, the Nigerian authorities has not deserted Air Peace on this battle. Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Improvement, Festus Keyamo, has threatened to revoke British Airways and Virgin Atlantic slots at Lagos and Abuja airports if Air Peace isn’t granted a slot at Heathrow.
In a letter to the UK Transport Secretary, Keyamo emphasised that the slot allocation problem mustn’t undermine the Bilateral Air Providers Settlement (BASA) between Nigeria and the UK, which is predicated on reciprocity.
“It’s important for Nigerian carriers to get pleasure from the identical reciprocity that British carriers are afforded. It’s unfair for British authorities to disclaim Nigerian carriers such slots, which discredits each the Nigerian authorities and the nation as a complete,” the minister asserted.
Keyamo warned that if Air Peace isn’t allotted a slot at Heathrow, British flag carriers may face challenges accessing Nigeria’s major airports within the subsequent winter season until the problem of slot allocation for Air Peace is resolved.
Keyamo’s risk have to be enforced promptly to remind the UK that the precept of reciprocity subsists. There is no such thing as a justification for Air Peace to nonetheless be struggling for a Heathrow slot 5 months after its inaugural flight in March 2024.
Why ought to British Airways and Virgin Atlantic function freely at Lagos and Abuja airports whereas the UK denies Air Peace, the one Nigerian airline on the Lagos-London route, entry to Heathrow? Has the UK forgotten that British Airways has been flying into Lagos since 1936?
It’s appalling that over a century after Nigeria’s notorious encounter with the UK, commerce and different relations between the 2 nations stay dictated by the British authorities. This explains why the UK deems it acceptable to disclaim Air Peace a slot at Heathrow whereas permitting their nationwide carriers – BA and Virgin Atlantic – to fly out and in of Lagos and Abuja airports uninterrupted.
If the UK authority is foot-dragging in giving the one Nigerian airline, which began flying into London this yr, an area regardless of having two airways of British origin flying out and in of Nigeria’s tier-1 airports unhindered, then we don’t want anyone to inform us the extent to which these individuals deal with us with scorn and derision.
The Nigerian authorities have to be counseled on its stance, which is essential for safeguarding indigenous corporations, particularly these like Air Peace which have demonstrated unwavering patriotism. Air Peace has confirmed again and again to be a patriotic Nigerian firm. Not solely did it enter the London path to considerably scale back ticket costs, however has additionally persistently supported Nigeria and Nigerians.
In the course of the xenophobic assaults in South Africa, Air Peace assisted vastly in evacuating Nigerians again house. The airline additionally supplied comparable help in the course of the Sudan disaster, airlifting stranded Nigerians again from Sudan, in addition to evacuating Nigerians from Ukraine in the course of the Russia-Ukraine struggle.
Make no mistake; this isn’t about Allen Onyema or his Air Peace. It’s in regards to the demand for reciprocity and mutual profit from the UK, asking that nation to return Nigeria’s good gestures prolonged to British airways over time. No efforts must be spared in calling it as it’s.
I salute Onyema’s unyielding spirit and enjoin him to soldier on. However above all, I applaud Minister Keyamo for promptly stepping in. He wants to make sure this matter is taken to a logical conclusion. It have to be Air Peace at Heathrow or nothing else.
Air Peace have to be granted a slot on the Heathrow airport, or Virgin Atlantic and British Airways must be barred from Abuja and Lagos airports as a present of reciprocity. It’s that easy. Any longer, the slogan must be: ‘Air Peace in, or BA and Virgin out!’
Nigeria’s Poor Outing At Olympics
As soon as once more, Nigeria recorded a poor outing on the Olympics, just like the London 2012 and Seoul 1988 Video games. Regardless of sending no fewer than 88 athletes, the nation returned with out a single medal.
This abysmal efficiency is particularly disappointing given the occasion’s staggering price of N12 billion-N9 billion for the Olympics and N3 billion for the Paralympics.
On reflection, the funds would have been higher spent on offering rice as palliatives for the numerous hungry Nigerians, notably the mother and father of malnourished kids. What classes may be discovered from this disappointing efficiency? Your guess is nearly as good as mine.
