AFRAA Seeks Closer Ties with Nigerian Member Airlines

In a bid to foster closer engagement with member airlines in Nigeria, the Secretary General of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), Mr. Abdérahmane Berthé, met the CEO of Air Peace, Barr. Allen Onyema, the CEO of Allied Air – Capt. Valentine Tongo and the CEO of Overland Airways – Capt. Edward Boyo for “AFRAA Member Airline CEOs Leadership Dialogues” at the respective airlines’ head-offices.

The CEO Dialogues initiative was launched in 2022 as part of AFRAA’s strategy to engage with member’s leadership to create dialogue that is necessary to enhance value addition of the Association to better meet its members’ needs.

AFRAA Secretary General further had a meeting with the Vice President of Airline Operator of Nigeria (AON) - Barr. Allen Onyema to discuss their Associations’ mutual areas of interest and support to airlines in Nigeria.

The issues covered in the deliberations included: priorities for the recovery of the airline industry, sustainability of airlines, challenges being faced by Nigerian operators and the establishment of a coordination mechanism between AFRAA and AON to enhance advocacy efforts.

At the conclusion of the CEO’s Dialogue sessions, Mr. Abdérahmane Berthé, stated: “It’s a great pleasure for AFRAA to meet today with our three Nigerian members that joined the Association between 2018-2019. Nigeria is a key market for the African air transport which is ranked at 8th position out of 54 in terms of the number of intra African passengers that are estimated at 1.1 million according to IATA statistics.

The market has a huge potential for growth and economic contribution. Today’s deliberations have been fruitful and critical to align our actions for our member airlines in Nigeria and give the support within our mandate to drive the development of the air transport sector.

“With this initiative, AFRAA aims to facilitate better understanding of individual airline needs, local matters and challenges, priorities and business plans thereby enabling us tailor specific actions that enhance relevance of the Association to our membership.” Mr. Berthé added.

The CEO’s Dialogues are continuous, round-the-year sessions that engage the Member airlines’ decision makers with AFRAA leadership towards effective implementation of added-value projects and actions supporting members’ sustainability. AFRAA’s actions are anchored on 5 pillars including:

• Safe, secure and reliable air transport

• Visibility, reputation and influence of African Airlines

• Sustainable air transport

• Cooperation

• Data intelligence

Founded in 1968, and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) is a trade association of airlines from the member states of the African Union (AU). Its membership of 44 airlines cuts across the entire continent and includes all the major intercontinental African operators.