The Women in Aviation International (WAI), Nigeria Chapter, says the industry’s growth will depend on the implementation of a single aviation charge regime, tax reforms and gender inclusion.

The president of the WAI, Rejoice Ndudinachi, made the assertion in an interview on Sunday in Lagos.

She said the aviation industry required urgent policy interventions to reduce operational costs and enhance sustainability.

According to her, the reforms should include creating a single-window regulatory framework for charges imposed by aviation agencies.

She said airlines were currently burdened by multiple charges from agencies such as the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency.

She said that the situation contributed significantly to the high cost of doing business in the industry.

She advocated a harmonised system that would eliminate duplication of charges and improve efficiency in the aviation sector.

The president stressed the need for improved access to foreign exchange for airlines, noting that operators would require a dedicated forex window to facilitate repatriation of funds.

Ms Ndudinachi said this approach would also help procure aircraft spare parts, fuel and other critical operational requirements.

She also called for tax incentives, including reducing multiple agency levies and waiving import duties on aircraft, spare parts, and training simulators, to lower costs and encourage investment.

She said infrastructure development remained a critical challenge, urging governments to rehabilitate runways, expand terminal capacities and ensure reliable power supply at airports.

According to her, a reliable power supply will reduce heavy dependence on power generators and the associated fuel costs.

She said governments should also look into Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) hubs by offering incentives to local maintenance facilities to avoid sending aircraft abroad for checks.

Ms Ndudinachi acknowledged progress in the representation of women across various aviation professions but noted that limitations still exist for women’s entry and advancement in the industry.

She identified workplace culture as a major challenge, citing work shift demands, safety concerns, and the absence of family-friendly policies.

She said the perception of aviation as a male-dominated industry continued to discourage many girls from considering careers as pilots, engineers, air traffic controllers and aviation security professionals.

Ms Ndudinachi also identified the cost of aviation training as an obstacle, particularly for aspiring female pilots and engineers.

According to her, the absence of dedicated financial support and scholarship opportunities for women limits their access to professional training and leadership development programmes.

She added that there was a shortage of visible female role models and mentors across technical and leadership positions in the sector.

“There is a need to tackle these challenges through greater incentives and deliberate policies. While progress has been made, barriers still exist,” she said.

The president said the association had embarked on ‘building the next generation of female aviators’ with programmes aimed at inspiring and supporting girls interested in aviation careers.

She listed the initiatives to include the Girls in Aviation programme, designed to expose girls to aviation activities, and partnerships with training institutions to provide scholarship opportunities for aspiring female pilots and engineers.

She added that mentorship programmes linking students with female aviation professionals were among the initiatives.

(NAN)