Stakeholders Urge FG Support for Ground Handlers Amid Debt

Stakeholders in Nigeria's aviation industry are calling on the federal government to extend financial incentives to ground handling companies amidst a concerning N9 billion debt owed by domestic airlines. This situation has been exacerbated by the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, which has impacted aviation operations.

Aghan Olaniyi Adigun, the chairman of the Aviation Ground Handler Association of Nigeria, indicated that ground handlers deserve government support due to the critical services they provide, including passenger check-in and baggage handling. The NCAA has intervened to prevent ground handlers from withdrawing services due to airline debts.

Samuel Caulcrick, former rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, suggested that the government should grant ground handlers discounts on statutory obligations rather than direct financial bailouts. Furthermore, industry analysts have pointed out that the financial challenges faced by ground handling companies reflect deeper structural weaknesses within Nigeria's aviation policies.