Nigeria Air: FG To Begin Operations With Three Hired Aircrafts—Minister

The Federal Government is to commence the operation of its National Carrier project known as Nigeria Air with three leased aircraft.

The Nigeria Air which is being planned to commence operations by April next year will be owned by Nigerians and foreign investors.

Specifically, 46 per cent stake in the airline was exclusively for Nigerians, five per cent was for government, while 49 per cent was for strategic equity partners, which were assumed to be foreign investors.

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirka, said these at a briefing in Abuja while giving an update on the project.

The minister explained that the airline would start operations with three wet-leased aircraft.

According to him, the aircraft to be used to start operations will be leased because it would take about three to five years to take delivery of an aircraft that had been ordered by the government.

He said, “They will start with wet-leased aircraft and that’s how 90 per cent of airlines in the world would have started. So they will start with a wet-lease of three aircraft and then continue to expand, place orders and then get deliveries.

“On the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facility, it will be started in Abuja and government has given 12,000 hectares of land in Abuja for the development of Abuja airport.

“In that 12,000 hectares of land, which all of it is a free zone, there will be the MRO facility, a second runway, new terminal building and various businesses. It is going to be a whole airport city.”