By Ismail Auwal
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has given Nigeria Air approval to start leasing aircraft for operation.
The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, while disclosing this one Wednesday at State House, however, didn’t reveal when the national carrier would start its operation.
He, however, noted that the company would begin with three aircraft.
Sirika said Nigeria Air was open to investment from any of the country’s airlines, particularly the 51 per cent shares set aside for Nigerians.
“As to the make and type, we will be having eventually a mix of the two, the Air Buses and the Boeings. Because every airline that grows big is either or, most of them are either Air Bus or they are Boeing, especially for the Intercontinental and international flights. And this will start as domestic airline. And then it will of course grow to become regional and international also intercontinental. On timeline, is a process we’re progressing. We will announce the commencement date soon,” he said.
It could be recalled that the minister unveiled Nigeria Air at the Farnborough International Airshow (FIA), the biggest air show in the world in 2018, but the takeoff of the airline has missed several targets set by the Federal Government.
