Olalekan Thomas, Director of Cargo Developments and Services at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), discusses efforts to enhance air cargo exports and contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth target. In this interview with IFEOMA OKEKE-KORIEOCHA, Thomas outlines the roles and progress of the newly established Cargo Services Directorate.
Q: The Cargo Services Directorate at FAAN was recently created. What are your roles, and what have you accomplished so far?
A: As the director, my responsibilities include overseeing strategy, financial management, capacity development, and operations. When I started, the directorate had only three or four employees. My goal has been to bring structure and efficiency to the directorate. We began with an infrastructure and operational audit to assess our current resources and identify gaps. This audit has helped us understand our strengths and weaknesses. We’ve also been working on budget allocation, which was initially non-existent, and now we have around 50 employees. Our focus is on maintaining current operations while addressing identified gaps through a comprehensive roadmap. We’re aiming to boost exports to meet the president’s $1 trillion economy target by 2026, addressing trade deficits and enhancing export drives.
Q: How have you been collaborating with the Aviacargo Committee?
A: The Aviacargo Committee’s objectives align closely with ours. We leveraged their experience and engaged with them to understand their past work and ongoing efforts. Collaborating with the committee has been valuable, as they have established connections and insights that complement our goals. We’ve started working together to streamline cargo operations, including test pilots for moving cargo and boosting exports.
Q: Can you discuss your collaboration with the Aviacargo Roadmap Project?
A: We’re actively collaborating with various experts and organizations, including those involved in the Aviacargo Roadmap Project. This collaboration focuses on trade facilitation and improving the cargo value chain. We aim to emulate successful models from other regions and enhance our processes to boost exports. By aligning our efforts and leveraging existing knowledge, we’re working to ensure that planes returning to Nigeria are carrying exports, not just imports. This shift is crucial for balancing our trade and contributing to the economy.
