The 28th edition of the Annual Conference of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) is set to take place on Friday, July 26, 2024, at Providence Hotel, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos. Industry experts will converge to discuss the theme “Aviation Survivability Amidst A Challenging Macro-Economic Environment.”Dr. Thomas Ogungbangbe, the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of CITA Aviation Fuelling Company Limited, will serve as the Chairman of this year’s conference. Dr. Ogungbangbe is an international energy strategist with extensive experience, including roles as General Manager Aviation Business at MRS Oil and Gas and Aviation Marketing Manager for Chevron Oil Nigeria Plc across West and Central Africa. He co-founded Aviation Air and Land Services, now Asharam Aviation, where he served in various capacities including Operations and Marketing Director. His career at Sahara Group encompassed strategic fuel procurement, market risk management, and aviation insurance.
An IATA-certified jet fuel airfield inspector, Dr. Ogungbangbe has undergone international training by EI, ASTM, API, and IATA. He has also led numerous high-profile industry projects and served on the Federal Government of Nigeria’s 6-Man Committee on Aviation Fuel Pricing and Product Availability.
Speakers at the conference will include Capt. Samuel Caulcrick, former Rector of Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, and Dr. Alex Nwuba, Second Vice President of the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI). Dr. Richard Aisuebeogun, former Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), will moderate the panel session.
LAAC Chairman, Idris Suleiman revealed that this year’s theme was chosen in response to the difficult economic conditions in Nigeria, which have exacerbated existing challenges in the aviation sector. These challenges include poor access to foreign exchange, a weakening currency, high fuel and maintenance costs, inadequate airport infrastructure, regulatory constraints, growing manpower demands, the need for technology upgrades, and passenger comfort concerns, he stated. Addressing these issues requires the urgent attention of industry stakeholders, he stressed.
“The LAAC Annual Conference has a history of making significant impacts on Nigeria’s aviation sector by highlighting policy, management, and operational issues for public discussion. These discussions have led to considerable improvements within the industry, he added.
“Aviation and allied business organizations have historically taken advantage of the sponsorship opportunities presented by this event to promote their products and services. The 2024 edition promises to offer similar opportunities for industry engagement and promotion.
