Nigeria's government talks of rebuilding a failing airline industry in 2013. But the path is unclear

Nigerian aviation industry is at its lowest ebb in 20 years following a year that saw a crash kill 163 people, the collapse of a major airline and a domestic financing ban on the country's two remaining largest carriers, one of which was also temporarily grounded by industrial action allegedly over outstanding debts.

Faced with a market that has been reduced to an effective duopoly between Arik Air and Aero, along with the associated very high air fares and often systemic corruption, the Nigerian Government is talking of pulling out the stops in 2013 to encourage more investment in the scheduled aviation sector - including fast tracking registration of four new unidentified airlines and the establishment of a new national carrier.

Both these initiatives were to have been fulfilled by the end of 2012, but have failed to meet the deadline.