The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, has reiterated his commitment to ensuring that Nigeria Air, the country’s national carrier, commences operations before the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, Sirika stated that all necessary arrangements had been put in place for the take-off of the airline.
Responding to a question about the feasibility of Nigeria Air with only one month left in the administration, Sirika said, “Nigeria Air Limited, I did say that we will get it going before the end of this administration, and I have not withdrawn my words. We have everything in place, the aircraft are in place, the offices, operational centres, the staffing and everything that we need to have in place. We’re doing the last-minute checks and waiting for the issuance of the AOC and it will fly.”
He further assured that the airline would fly, and its establishment would be of significant benefit to the country, especially with regards to the economy, tourism, African integration, and the AU Agenda 2063.
“It will fly, it will be for the benefit of this country, for the size of population, the travelling public and what it does to the economy, especially to tourism, to African integration and to the AU Agenda 2063. It’s a very important project and I must say it will happen before the end of our tenure in the next four weeks and two days,” Sirika added.
The national carrier project has faced several setbacks since its inception in 2018, with the initial launch date postponed indefinitely due to funding and other operational issues.
