FG Shifts National Carrier Take Off Date To Next Year, Blames Covid-19

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has said that the long awaited national carrier will become operational by the first quarter of next year.

The development is a shift from the planned take off scheduled by the end of 2021.

The minister said this in Abuja after the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday.

He said, “We had intended to have the new National Carrier up and running this year, 2021, but Covid-19 affected the plans. Revised Outline Business Case (OBC) will be going back to Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval shortly.”

Sarika had in 2020 said the sum of N78.96bn has been proposed for capital expenditure at the headquarters in the aviation ministry.

He said the emphasis will focus on the implementation of the aviation road map by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Sirika told correspondents that the proposed national carrier has taken too long.

He also disclosed that the air fair for passengers may be cheaper than other airlines.

According to him, the carrier which was initially planned to become operational by the end of this year was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.