British Airways plans to help the Nigerian aviation industry modernise in the wake of several recent air disasters that have claimed hundreds of lives, said a Nigerian government statement on Thursday.
”British Airways has expressed its willingness to collaborate with the Ministry of Aviation in four major areas out of an 11-point agenda that the honourable minister had earmarked for immediate implementation,” said the statement, highlighting that British Airways’ managing director Robbie Baird, had sent a letter
to this effect to Nigerian Aviation Minister Babalola Borishade.
While in general the British flag bearer will help upgrade the West African nation’s aviation infrastructure and regulatory environment, specific targets include ”the screening and recruitment process to secure world-class airport managers, emergency response, and the control of bird strikes,” said the government.
Nigeria’s aging aviation fleet is made up of mostly secondhand or leased aircraft from former Soviet block countries.
The country has had 39 air disasters since 1991, which have claimed 1 021 lives.
In most crashes, including recent disasters in October and December of last year that killed 220 people, the causes have never been explained.
In December the Nigerian government also put in place a special commission to inspect the state’s working aircraft. – Sapa-AFP