The proposed national carrier, Nigeria Air obtained its Air Transport Licence (ATL) on Monday. The Ministry of Aviation granted the license to the interim board of the airline.
The aviation ministry on Twitter says the Nigeria Air needs the ATL “before they can commence operation, just as they await the all-important Air Operator Certificate that fully guarantees them the right to begin air services.”
Nigeria Air was a proposed airline and flag carrier in Nigeria. The name and logo was unveiled at the Farnborough Air Show in the United Kingdom in July 2018.
The Federal Government in 2018 suspended the project. Following the suspension, the aviation ministry informed that the Federal Government would provide a $55m upfront grant in order to ensure the take-off of the airline in the same year.
“The FG also stated that it was not paying $300m for five per cent stake in the airline, as being speculated; adding that the $300m was the entire cash flow funding requirement of the carrier for a three-year period.” However, despite the government’s commitment, the national carrier project failed to get off the ground.
NigeriaAir is jointly owned by the government and private sector but managed fully by the latter and will run on a purely commercial basis.
