(CNN) — Nigeria is Africa's most populous country, home to vast resources of minerals and oil -- and it's a burgeoning commercial hub. Could this vibrant nation be the next global aviation powerhouse?

Currently, big-brand flyers including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic fly in and out of Nigeria. But it is domestic and pan-Africa carriers that need to take flight to consolidate Nigeria's status as a business center to be reckoned with

The nation is ideally located for pan-African flights, but currently there are few options available. The country's new, privately run domestic terminal can handle over 4 million passengers a year, but only a handful of domestic carriers are in operation. Some 40 domestic airlines have failed in the country -- including big names such as Virgin Nigeria.

Lai Mohammed, Nigeria's minister of information and culture, points to corruption as the source, arguing this needs to be halted before the airlines can take flight. "The big picture [...] is to improve the ease of doing business in Nigeria so we can attract more people with business and tourists," Mohammed tells CNN.

For now, it's private jets that dominate the country's air space, but experts hope new opportunities will arise in the coming years.

http://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/nigeria-aviation-business-traveller/