Nigeria Air's Much-Anticipated Launch Date Finally Set -Nigeria's Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) has announced today that it is 'working around the... -
Nigeria’s Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission has announced today that it is “working around the clock” to succeed in making Nigeria Air fully operational by June 2023.
“I want to assure the Nigerian public that we are working ’round the clock to get [Nigeria Air] operational,” said ICRC Director-General Michael Ohiani. Nigeria Air as a company was established in 2004 as a joint venture between the Virgin Group and several Nigerian investors before it ceased operations in 2012. However, now as part of the Presidential Aviation Roadmap launched in 2016, the airline is set to become the new national carrier, with the plan also expected to include a means to develop cargo airports, a new Maintenance Repair and Overhaul facility, a national leasing company and several other initiatives.
Along with the plans to launch a national carrier, the Federal Government also plans to create a Nigerian aviation leasing company, with Director-General Ohiani explaining that “Experience has show that for you to have a sustainable aviation industry, you have to have a leasing company so that the operators can easily acquire fleets of plans.”