Nigeria can leverage air cargo as trigger of economic growth

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Nigeria can leverage air cargo as trigger of economic growth 





The Acting Chief Operating Officer and Head, Aeronautics and Cargo Services of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, Mr. Remi Jibodu, has offered insight into how Nigeria could leverage  air cargo as vehicle to trigger the growth of the economy.
 Jibodu said  the country has all it takes to develop a national cargo logistics policy that integrates domestic air cargo into other multimodal transport.


He  noted that for cargo to be an enabler of the economy, there is the need to accelerate the adoption of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), harmonise customs regulations and reduce bureaucracy, review and streamline taxes and levies to enhance competitivenes.

Jibodu, in a paper, Strategic Solutions to Air Cargo in Nigeria with the theme, “How E-Commerce is Shaping  The Future of Logistics in Africa”, presented at the Avia-cargo summit in Lagos on Tuesday, disclosed that Nigeria E-Commerce Value is estimated at $9.35 billion in 2025 and projected to be $16.8 billion by 2030 with a growing CAGR of 12.5%.


With a population of 237.5 million in 2025 (UN/Worldometer), the largest in Africa,  median age of 18.1 years – a very young, digitally adaptable population,  internet penetration at 48.78% (105.7 million users, NCC 2025), mobile teledensity at 79.65% (169.3 million active subscribers), Nigeria with the Africa’s largest mobile market can successfully and profitably drive e-commerce growth.

He said, “The implication is that the demographic and digital surge positions Nigeria as a natural hub for e-commerce growth, but only if logistics, especially air cargo, keep pace.”


He listed the following as the missing link in air cargo in Nigeria: weak digital presence and poor e-commerce integration, fragmentation of players and processes, and low market awareness of air cargo services.


Others are inadequate infrastructure and weak cold-chain systems, regulatory complexities – multiple agencies with overlapping roles, limited dedicated freighter capacity and challenges balancing cost, speed, transparency, and reliability.


Highlighting strategic solutions to air cargo in Nigeria, Jibodu said there is a need for investment in robust digital cargo platforms, Integration of the logistics ecosystem, end-to-end integration with e-commerce platforms, incentivising investment in dedicated freighter aircraft, encouraging financial institutions to create cargo-specific aircraft financing products and exploring the P3 Approach for cargo fleet development.

He urged stronger partnerships among airlines, freight forwarders, ground handlers, and e-commerce platforms to improve packaging standards, perishables preservation, and warehouse facilities to minimise losses.


Jibodu also stated the imperative of infrastructure development to the development of the cargo business, such as encouraging Public-Private Partnership (PPP).


Such infrastructure includes cold-chain facilities, consolidation and deconsolidation centres and fully automated cargo screening systems.



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