The Director-General of Airports Council International (ACI) World, Mr. Justin Erbacci has outlined four priorities aimed at strengthening the performance, resilience and sustainable growth of airports.
Speaking at the 35th ACI Africa Annual General Assembly, Regional Conference and Exhibition in Abuja, under the theme, “Next-Gen Airports: Driving Performance and Resilience”. Mr. Erbacci who was represented by the Senior Vice President & Chief Strategy Officer, ACI World, Mr. Antoine Rostworowski revealed that the four priorities are embedded in the organisation’s Policy Agenda 2030.
Mr. Erbacci said the theme of the Conference “is not just a slogan for this week, it is the reality of our industry, what we are facing right now. This year, the world’s airports will welcome 10 billion passengers, I repeat this, 10 billion passengers worldwide, a new record. That record is the performance side of the story. 10 billion passengers, a system operating at close to full capacity. But let’s look behind the number and we can find the resilience and agility we all have. Geopolitical tensions, airspace restrictions, rising operating costs, shifting traffic flows— none of it stops the growth. Disruption is no longer the exception. It is the environment we now operate in. So, the real work is not just balancing the facts. What matters is making sure our airport is strong enough economically and operationally to keep delivering regardless of what takes place.”
The first priority is “airports as strategic businesses of their own right, engines of economic and social development, not mere pieces of infrastructure.” This approach reflects the wider role of airports in connecting people, countries, markets, investments and opportunities.
The second is “expanding capacity, modernising slots policy, improving customer experience and the passenger journey, investing in the workforce that makes it all run.” Safety and security is the third priority. ACI is calling for approaches that are risk-based and suitable for the challenges facing the industry.
Lastly, sustainable growth and decarbonisation: this is aimed at ensuring that airport expansion takes account of environmental responsibilities, that is, the care of our planet and the communities around the airports.
Mr. Erbacci described the four priorities as a shared roadmap, stating that it is intended to guide the continuous collaboration between ACI and airports across the continent.
Mr. Erbacci noted that Africa is growing faster than almost any other region. “Last year alone, while global airport traffic grew under 4%, Africa’s grew nearly 3 times faster.” He added that Nigeria recorded over 17.6 million airport passengers last year with a double-digit growth across several airports. Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos led with passenger growth, while the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport recorded the fastest aircraft movement growth among major Nigerian airports. The Port Harcourt and Kano airports also recorded strong passenger growth and this growth signifies a strong momentum and potential for Africa
Mr. Erbacci further noted that Africa’s aviation growth is creating significant opportunities but connectivity within the continent remains a challenge, with too many African states lacking direct routes and relying on connections outside the continent.
Mr. Erbacci concluded that “Our task together over the next few days here in Abuja, making sure the whole continent is ready to meet the future, because the next generation theme of this event is not only about the technology in our terminals, it is about the next generation of Africans who will contribute to the industry development, and some others that will be flying for the very first time this decade. That is who we are all building for.”