Profile

Madam GarbatiFatima Garbati is a seasoned technocrat in Commercial Aviation, specializing in Economic Regulation, Pricing and Bilateral Air Services Agreements.  A career spanning over 25 years, she has represented Nigeria on the International platform at AFRAA and AFCAC. For a decade, she was the Chief Delegate for Nigeria on Commercial Aviation at IATA and subsequently as the chairman of the IATA Agency Panel for West Africa. She began her career at Nigeria Airways and attained the position of the Deputy Director of Marketing. She founded an aviation consultancy outfit which handled projects that harnessed her competency in aviation operations and international regulations. She was called back into public service and made the Director of Air Transport and Economic Regulation at the NCAA. Fatima is also an avid tourism practitioner and served as the National President for the Nigerian Association of Tour Operators as well as National Vice President for the Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria. She has a BA degree (English Major Subsidiary) from the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria Nigeria and a Post Graduate Diploma from the Institutes of Civil Aviation Cairo Egypt.
The Opportunity Clause:
She has a firm believe that there is an urgent need to address the challenges and obstacles of Commercial Aviation matters within Nigeria and the African Continent as a whole due to this opportunity clause that avails in the industry. The African continent is set to experience tremendous growth through new and innovative strategic trade relationships with China and the USA respectively. Their substantial investment portfolios will increase market activities within the Africa continent. The level of expected growth is evidence that the African Aviation industry is simply not maximizing its full potential.  In a region whereby an estimated 1in 20 are exposed to air travel, the prospect for further growth is considerable. Nigeria can create sustainable strategic policies to harness the opportunities.
The Yamoussoukro Decision (YD) is the most valid developmental policy set to facilitate growth within the continent’s aviation market; its aim is simple to drive market liberalization by turning the African industry into a single playing field. Article 9.5 of the decision has designated AFCAC as the executing agency armed with “sufficient power to formulate and enforce appropriate rules and regulations”. There is ample opportunities for growth and commerce for Nigeria and Africa.