FAAN mulls pilot project to enhance air cargo exports

Following the demand of the Managing Director of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Kuku, for quicker implementation of AviaCargo’s Roadmap Committee findings, a pilot project of exports through four selected airports, is underway.

This was revealed at a meeting between FAAN and the enlarged membership of the AviaCargo Roadmap Committee.It was disclosed that there will be a trial run of exports of perishables from harvesting at the farm through the Lagos Airport.

There will also be another trial run of cereals through the Kano Airport, another through the Enugu Airport as well as one Jos Airport. According to a statement made available to journalists, the trial runs are to test the effectiveness of the Air Cargo Pathway developed by the Roadmap Committee.

The trial runs will involve the stakeholders of the Air Cargo Ecosystem. Other agencies of government will all be involved in the pilot projects. A subcommittee headed by the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) representative was set up to strategise and fast-track the implementation of the trial runs. It was given two weeks to submit its report.

“Air cargo is of great importance to this government. We want things done a little faster,” Kuku said. The roadmap committee, set up in December 2022, has seen changes in FAAN executives three times with Kuku taking over in December 2023.

Though the change disrupted the project, FAAN had implemented some parts of the suggestions made by the committee, creating a new directorate of cargo development and services.