**Boosting Nigeria's Revenue: Why Aviation Must Be Enabled to Thrive** Imagine a country where businesses can reach global markets in a snap, where tourists can easily explore our rich cultural heritage, and where families can visit loved ones across the country without breaking the bank. That's the power of aviation in Nigeria. But, sadly, our aviation sector has been underutilized, and it's costing us dearly. We have a choice to make: do we treat aviation as a cash cow, or do we give it the support it needs to grow and contribute to our economy? The truth is, if we don't nurture this sector, it will wither away, leaving us with a smaller tax base. Growth must come before aggressive taxation. **A Sector Stumbling Behind** Nigeria's air travel sector is experiencing a slowdown, with passenger traffic declining by 3% between 2022 and 2024. This is a worrying trend, especially considering our large population and strong mobility needs. But, if we look at other African countries like Egypt, Kenya, and South Africa, we see that they're experiencing growth of 10-15% in their air travel sectors. We should be doing better. Demand for air travel is still on the rise, driven by our growing economy and increasing business needs. However, the high operating costs and multiple fiscal charges are driving up fares, making air travel less affordable for Nigerians. This is causing passengers to defer travel or look for alternatives, ultimately affecting the sector's growth. **Leaving Money on the Table** One of the most striking trends in West African aviation is that Nigerian demand is strong, but foreign carriers are capturing an increasing share of the economic value tied to that demand. Our regional airlines are building successful networks around Nigerian traffic, but they're benefiting from the associated jobs, maintenance activity, and foreign exchange flows. This is a missed opportunity for Nigeria to capture more of the economic value created by our own air travel demand. **Creating a Favorable Operating Environment** Airlines in Nigeria operate under a heavy burden of charges, including ticket sales charges, VAT exposure, customs duties, navigational fees, and regulatory levies. These charges add up quickly, putting significant pressure on airline margins. If we don't address this cost environment, we risk eroding our airlines' competitiveness and shrinking their networks. It's time for us to rethink our approach to aviation. We must ensure that Nigerian operators are not structurally disadvantaged in their own market