The Federal government has unveiled the national carrier, Nigeria Air which finally landed at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja yesterday. The government says the target is to generate $1billion in revenue within five years.
The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, excitedly announced the arrival of the aircraft via a Tweet, “We are here. To Almighty God be all the glory. It has been a very long, tedious, daunting, and difficult path. We thank everyone for their support. This, by the will of God, will be for us and generations to come. Ya Allah make it beneficial for our country and humanity.”
But the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) described the unveiling of Nigeria Air’s aircraft as a big scam, insisting that the aircraft displayed was a Boeing 737 MAX owned by Ethiopian Airlines but covered with Nigeria Air sticker.
While unveiling plans for the new National Carrier, Aviation Minister, Sirika said “This Nigeria Air Limited, of course, obviously, it’s an entity known to Nigerian laws. There is a partnership between entrepreneurs in Nigeria and the entrepreneurs in Ethiopian Airline Consortium. Consortium is a company belonging to many partners, and it’s a very long journey.
However, initial plans by the Federal Government for the airline to commence operation with five aircraft could not materialise as only one aircraft was unveiled but the minister said there are plans to increase the fleet to 35 aircraft within five years of operations.
He said: “The airline is equal to the size of the market, the dynamics of the market of Nigeria, to its geography and the fortunes of the country. Indeed, we do need the kind of infrastructure that we’re having today in the name of Nigeria Air Limited.
“This Nigeria Air Limited of course, is an entity known to Nigerian laws. There is a partnership between entrepreneurs in Nigeria and the entrepreneurs in Ethiopian Airlines Consortium. a company belonging to many partners, and it’s a very long journey.
“We started in 2016 and this phase ended today. There is a history behind all of these. There were challenges but we didn’t allow them to make us lose focus. We stayed with our eyes on the ball and today we are here.”
On why the Federal Government unveiled the airline despite an ongoing court case, he explained, “There’s no court that can stop us from continuing to bring developmental projects to our people. The constitution of Nigeria is very clear that it is within their rights to go to court for whatever reason they want to go to court, and it’s also within our own rights to do all the things that will promote the general well being of Nigeria and Nigerians and this is one of it; the economy of Nigeria, the centrality of civil aviation and the promotion of the economy and the value addition to the GDP.
It’s very important and paramount and the focus of government and I can tell you that from the roadmap implemented, aviation became the fastest growing sector of the economy before COVID. Even with COVID we were the third fastest growing sector and this is from the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics.
On when the airline would begin operation, the Minister explained that in the process of establishing an airline, there are conditions set by the regulator, which is Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
“So, this airplane will be here and we will commence the demonstration flight to show that we can do it. Normally, I think between zero to 40 hours, but it can be less. It can be five hours, it can be two hours and this is to ensure that we are able and we have the capacity to do it.”
“But of course you know about the partnership with Ethiopian Airlines. Nobody can doubt the capacity that this can happen. So, I know very well that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority will do the needful, and of course, give the clean bill to start to fly. So, this is part of the process. It’s the beginning of the establishment of the airline.” He added.
On his part, the Chief Commercial Officer, Ethiopian Airlines, Lemma Yadecha Gudeta, while commending the effort of the Federal Government, assured that the project under the watch of the Ethiopian Airlines, would foster economic development for the country.
Gudeta assured that Nigeria Air would be a $1billion project in five year’s time, stating: “As far as the initial business plan that we are working on in collaboration with stakeholders in the consortium, Nigeria Air will be a $1 billion company in five years time.
“As a company in Africa, which has operated for the last 77 years, Ethiopian Airlines is very much pleased to be part of the beginning of the Nigeria national carrier and we strongly believe that our presence here in Nigeria will serve as a way of supporting the economic growth of Nigeria.”