- Qatar Airways, in an interview, has spoken about reports it is leaving Nigeria due to macroeconomic issues prevalent in Nigeria
- It said the cost of doing business has posed a problem for a country like Nigeria, where purchasing power is diminished due to inflation
- The airline said it has invested massively in the country and believes that the investment will pay off shortly
Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has over three years of experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.
Qatar Airways has opened up on rumoured plans for the airline to stop operating in Nigeria.
Hendrik du Preez, Vice-President for Africa for Qatar Airways, explained in an interview with ThisDay that the cost of doing business in Africa and Nigeria poses a significant challenge to every airline operating in the region.
This comes after Legit.ng reported that IATA confirmed that British Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, and other foreign airlines could leave Nigeria soon over trapped ticket revenues in Nigeria and other countries.
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Continuous innovation keeps the airline going
Du Preez stated that despite the many obstacles, especially in Nigeria, where purchasing power is still a barrier due to the high inflation rates in many African nations, the company has implemented mechanisms to increase its capacity.
He claimed that the devaluation of currencies has significantly affected some countries, such as Nigeria and Egypt.
Additionally, he stated that the airline has learned to maintain an attitude of adaptability to these changes in the landscape, which manifested as either an increase in demand or a decrease in capacity during specific times.
Opportunities Present in Nigeria
It added that Nigeria is one of Africa’s top three most populous countries and one of the markets that were probably underserved before COVID-19.
He said:
”We saw the opportunity to expand our capacity by first increasing our Lagos flights and then adding Abuja, Kano, and Port Harcourt networks to the list. We can say that this is the most connected market we have in Africa. In Africa, at this stage, our perspective is long-term.
“We have made massive investments in Nigeria over the last few years, and even with the current challenge of inflation the country is constantly facing, we believe that it will still pay off in the coming future.
“Only N61,050”: New airline NG Eagle commences flights in Nigeria, competes with Air Peace, others
Legit.ng reported that Nigeria’s aviation sector has made tremendous progress with the recent inauguration of NG Eagle Airline.
According to a statement released by the airline’s managing director, Capt. AE Dare, the launch of operations, is intended to improve connection and convenience for passengers.
He continued by saying that the airline aims to close the gap in domestic travel by giving customers excellent services at reasonable prices.
Source: Legit.ng