LAAC Conference To Tackle Revenue Demands, Sustainable Aviation Growth
The League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) will, on September 10, convene key stakeholders in Nigeria’s aviation industry to deliberate on how to balance government revenue generation with the need for sustainable growth and competitiveness in the sector.
The 30th Annual LAAC Conference, scheduled to hold in Lagos, will focus on the theme, “Towards a Sustainable Aviation Industry: Balancing Government Revenue Demands with Sector Growth.”
The conference is expected to attract the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), government officials, regulators, airline operators, airport managers, financial institutions, investors, aviation professionals, labour unions and other stakeholders across the aviation value chain.
According to the conference committee, the theme was informed by growing fiscal pressures in the aviation sector and the need to ensure that government revenue policies do not undermine the viability and competitiveness of airlines and other aviation businesses.
The committee said the forum would examine the impact of multiple charges on airlines and other operators, rising aviation fuel costs, foreign exchange challenges, aircraft acquisition and maintenance, airport infrastructure, regulatory effectiveness and the wider contribution of aviation to the Nigerian economy.
It added that stakeholders would also explore ways of expanding government revenue from the sector without imposing excessive financial burdens that could weaken operators, discourage investment, increase airfares or limit air connectivity.
Areas expected to receive attention include increased passenger traffic, cargo development, tourism, airport commercialisation, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), aircraft leasing and other emerging opportunities within the aviation value chain.
Chairman of LAAC, Suleiman Idris, described the conference as a significant milestone for the association, saying it would provide an opportunity for the aviation media to facilitate constructive dialogue on issues affecting the future of the industry.
Idris said the media had a responsibility not only to report developments in the sector but also to create platforms for policymakers and industry players to engage in meaningful discussions aimed at addressing persistent challenges.
He stressed that sustainable growth would require a balance between government’s legitimate revenue objectives and the financial capacity of aviation businesses to operate, invest and remain competitive.
“The aviation industry cannot grow sustainably if the operators are overburdened, just as government cannot abandon its legitimate responsibility to generate revenue,” he said.
“What is required is a balanced and sustainable framework that allows government to earn revenue while giving aviation businesses sufficient room to grow, invest and remain competitive.”
Similarly, Chairman of the conference committee, Wole Shadare, said the forum would seek to move discussions beyond identifying the challenges facing the industry to developing practical recommendations capable of supporting policy formulation and implementation.
Shadare added that the conference would provide an opportunity to reflect on the development of Nigeria’s aviation industry over the past three decades and examine the role of aviation correspondents in promoting accountability, transparency and informed public discourse.
