By Adeola Tukuru
Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday revealed that the air transport industry has supported a total of 62.7 million jobs globally, adding that the world aviation is a major economic force.
The President, further estimated that the Aviation industry reached $2.7 trillion dollars and 73.5% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2014.
The President was represented by the Vice president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, in Abuja at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) World Aviation Forum with the theme: Financing the Development of Aviation infrastructure.
Buhari explained that the 2017 aviation benefit reported that current forecast indicated that the air traffic volume will double in the next 15 years, characterised by 4.6% annual growth rate for passenger traffic and 4.4% for trade traffic.
He further explained that the quoting estimate gross profit air traffic third action growth, adding that the reports note that 2/3 economy impacted on the global aviation industry.
“Air transportation industry provided 9.9 million air jobs, airlines, air navigation, service providers and airports directly employed 3 million people”
“The civil aerospace centre employed 1.1milluin people, while 5.5 million worked in various Airport positions in 2014,” he said.
Earlier, the Minister of state for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, explained that this year’s forum, could not have been more apt, considering the infrastructure deficit facing the aviation sector not only in Nigeria but in most part of the world.
Hadi, explained that according to the Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan (NIMP),$775 billion is required to develop Nigeria’s transport over the next 30 years.
“Along the same line, the African Development Bank (AFDB) estimate $35bilkion from 2010 to 2020, this course is focused on four broad sectors i.e transportation and transport infrastructure, electricity, rural access, water sanitation and ICT ,” he said.
