Nigeria’s proposal to launch a national airline may become a reality before the close of the current calendar year.
Confirming this news, The Minister of State for Aviation, Nigeria, Hadi Sirika, a former pilot said that he received the Outline Business Case Certificate of Compliance for the establishment of the airline from the Director General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC). The preliminary cost of the proposed airline will be around US$8.8 million and $300 million as take-off cost. The airline will be operated through a private-public partnership. Nigeria will receive the first set of five aero planes for the airlines by December 19, 2018. The airline is expected to make operational profits from the third year onwards and have 30 aircraft in five years time.
The minister said that the logo, color scheme, the structure and type of airplane will be unveiled on July 18, 2018, at the Farnborough International Public Airshow to be held in London. He also said that the government would not get involved in the day to day operations of the airlines. The airline will serve over 180 million people in Nigeria and would take advantage of Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) that Nigeria has entered with 70 countries. It will also benefit from the Africa Single Air Transport Market and would try to emerge as the best player in the market.
