The absence of transit facilities at Nigerian airports is a major challenge confronting indigenous carriers, the Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines (UNA), Prof. Obiora Okonkwo.

Speaking on Thursday in Lagos at the fifth year celebration of UNA, Okonkwo lamented that the absence of a transit facility at any of the international airports made it difficult for the airlines to create a hub.

He insisted that without transit facilities, it would be difficult for Nigerian airlines to fly to long hauls.

A 2024 data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said that only one per cent of international passengers arriving in Nigeria were able to continue their journey to another country due to absence of transit facilities at the airports.

Okonkwo, however, expressed optimism that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo would address the situation.

He said: “It’s a big concern for us (airline operators) that we don’t have a primary facility. It makes it very difficult to create a hub in Nigeria. What that means is that if those things are not in place, it will be very difficult for us to achieve our aim of flying to longer regions, including continental and intercontinental destinations.

“So, we are very hopeful that the engagement we are having with the Minister of Aviation, who is very interested in this, will yield the expected result before we kick off because we must be able to get people from other regions into Nigeria.

“So, we consider this a critical infrastructure in our airports. We are engaging and we are getting positive results. As of the construction going on, I don’t know the details of what is contained there, but I know that this minister will address it.”

Okonkwo also revealed the plan by the airline’s management to list on the Nigerian Exchange.

He assured that the airline would be enlisted on the exchange in the next three years, adding that this would also enable more Nigerians to invest in the airline.

Besides, he explained that in the last three years, United Nigeria Airlines had airlifted over 2.5 million passengers, stressing that with the addition of more aircraft, its annual passenger traffic may increase to one million.