SPOTLIGHTS
- Conference to address the impact of Nigeria’s economic challenges on aviation
- Poor access to forex, high fuel costs, and infrastructure problems threaten the industry
- Over 200 aviation professionals, including airline representatives and government agencies, are expected to attend
- LAAC emphasizes the importance of media coverage and public discussion in driving positive change
- The conference will offer both in-person and virtual participation options
By Chinelo Obogo, Lagos
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s aviation industry will gather in Lagos for the 28th edition of the Annual Conference of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) on Friday, 26 July 2024, to chart a way forward for the sector.
The conference, with the theme “Aviation Survivability Amidst a Challenging Macro-economic Environment”, was originally slated for 25 July 2024 but will now hold on 26 July 2024 at Providence Hotel, GRA, Ikeja.
The theme of this year’s conference was informed by the challenging state of the country’s economy, which has amplified the already existing constraints to growth and development in Nigeria’s aviation industry. These constraints include poor access to forex, a weakening currency, high fuel costs, maintenance costs, poor airport infrastructure, regulatory constraints, growing manpower demands, technology upgrades, and passenger comfort, among other issues that require the urgent attention of industry stakeholders.
The conference presents an opportunity for organisations to highlight their activities, as it is expected to attract over 200 aviation industry professionals. Attendees will represent aviation agencies, security agencies, international and domestic airlines operating in Nigeria, and aviation support services, including travel service providers and tour operators.
LAAC is Nigeria’s aviation media umbrella body saddled with the responsibility of ensuring effective media coverage and practice in the aviation industry. The LAAC annual seminar has, over the years, made an unquantifiable impact on Nigeria’s aviation sector by raising policy, management, and operational issues for public discussion. This has resulted in tremendously significant and evident changes in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
Aviation and allied business organisations have equally taken advantage of sponsorship opportunities presented by this event to sell their products and services. The 2024 edition presents yet another opportunity.
Chairman of the LAAC Conference Planning Committee, Chinedu Eze, said: “This year’s conference is peculiar because it will focus on the industry’s survival and sustenance, which constitutes a major subject of discussion at a time like this.”
There will be both physical and virtual participation in the conference to enable stakeholders from across the world to attend.
