Federal Govt Unveils Nigeria Air Plane, Says Still Test-running

Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has unveiled the much talked about Nigeria Air plan by taking delivery of a Boeing 737-800 ET-AL aircraft.

The minister, while unveiling it at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja yesterday stated that there was no sentiment to it, adding that it’s one infrastructure that had been missing in the general aviation dynamics of the country.

He said: “The airline that 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 limited.

“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.

“We started in 2016 and it ended today. There is a history behind all of these. There were challenges down to one for that matter. We didn’t allow them to make us lose focus. We stayed with the eyes on the ball and today we’re here.

“No, it is not subjudice. If it is we are not going to embark upon it. There’s nothing that stops 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 Nigerian Bureau of Statistics.

“So, it’s a noble thing we are doing and Nigerians are happy. Nigerians love this. So, this is the alternative. This is to show how to do airline business very well and to serve Nigerian people better. And like I said, it is not unhealthy competition.

“In the process of establishing an airline, there are the conditions set by the regulator which is Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). This air plane will be here and we will commence the demonstration flight to show that we can do it. Normally, I think between zero and 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.”

Speaking on the business case, Sirika said it was envisaged that within the next five years, it would hit the 35 aircraft mark. You don’t come in one day to dump 35 airplanes. You can’t come in one day and start going to London. So, it’s a gradual process. The aeroplanes will be coming one after another. And until in the next five years, according to the business case, we achieve the 35 aircraft mark from there it continues.”

Chief commercial officer, Ethiopian Airline, Lemma Yadecha Gudeta, while commending the effort of the federal government, assured that the project under the watch of the Ethiopian Airlines would ensure economic development for the country.

Gudeta assured that Nigeria Air would be a one billion dollar project in five years.