Aviation Industry at 40% Digitalisation, ICAN Warns

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria has warned that Nigeria’s aviation sector is still operating at about 40 per cent digital efficiency, saying slow adoption of technology continues to undermine transparency and operational performance across the industry.

Speaking at the first anniversary of the ICAN Aviation Chapter in Lagos, ICAN’s Director of Membership Affairs, Sakiru Balogun, said the persistence of manual processes in aviation remains a major weakness that fuels inefficiency and corruption risks.

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“Anything that involves human beings, there’s going to be some issues, and it will lead to the evil that we call corruption. We must digitalise all activities in the aviation sector for efficiency and effectiveness,” he said.

Balogun added that many aviation systems in Nigeria still rely heavily on human intervention, unlike more advanced economies where automation has significantly reduced contact-based processes.

He noted that while electronic payment systems and digital platforms have been introduced in parts of the sector, the overall transformation remains incomplete and uneven.

Balogun also identified low digital literacy as a key barrier slowing adoption, urging stakeholders to invest more in training and capacity building to support the shift to full automation.

Chairman of the ICAN Aviation Chapter, Ayodele Olatiregun, said digital systems are already changing financial operations in the sector, particularly in revenue tracking and transaction processing.

“At the end of the day, aviation is about paying for services and properly accounting for the revenues generated. Digital systems make this more transparent and efficient,” he said.

He added that physical ticketing has largely been phased out, with most transactions now processed electronically, improving accountability within the industry.

Former ICAN President and event chairman, Comfort Eyitayo, said digitalisation is now a necessity rather than an option for aviation operations.

She said, “The sector is complex and requires precision, accountability, and strong risk management frameworks that only robust digital systems can support.”

Eyitayo urged finance professionals and aviation operators to take a more active role in driving digital transformation, noting that combining financial governance with technology would improve transparency and global competitiveness.

Industry stakeholders at the event agreed that deeper digital integration could reduce corruption risks, improve efficiency, and enhance passenger experience, but stressed that progress remains too slow to meet global standards.