The Federal Government yesterday made good its promise as it unveiled the name of a new national carrier – Nigeria Air.
It also unveiled the logo of the carrier, which is a wave-like ribbon depicting the nation’s flag and its motto being “Bringing Nigeria Closer to the World.”
Nigeria Air, scheduled to commence operations on December 19, 2018, targets 81 routes, comprising 40 domestic, regional and sub-regional and 41 international routes.
The national carrier would be run on public private partnership (PPP) arrangement.
Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, at the unveiling ceremony of the airline at the on-going Farnborough Airshow in London, in the presence of prospective investors, airline manufacturers and strategic partners, said government equity in the organisation will not be more than five per cent.
“Following the extensive market research, the branding of our new airline, Nigeria Air, demonstrates a true flag carrier of our nation, soaring through the skies in the shape of our nation’s eagle.
“The Nigerian government will support the launch of the new flag carrier with viability gap funding, in a public private partnership (PPP) arrangement to deliver a national flag carrier,” Sirika said.
He said the need to get the national carrier was in fulfilment of the promise made by President Muhammadu Buhari to Nigerians in 2015 to give the country a befitting national airline.
The minister expressed confidence that Nigeria would have a well-run national flag-carrier that would be a global player, compliant to international safety standards and customers’ oriented.
Besides, he hinted of plans to fast-track the airline’s International Air Transport Association (IATA) membership.
He said that government had also concluded plans to speedily go through the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) audit soon.
“The airline will be guided by the ICAO standards that will stand the IOSA audit from the start and lead to a fast IATA membership for international operation.
“We are not afraid to go through this because we have demonstrated that Nigeria is a responsible state,” the minister said.
IOSA programme is an internationally recognised and accepted evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline.
Sirika was worried that 80 per cent of carriers in Africa are non-African, lamenting that Nigeria has not been a player for a very long time, thus, denying the nation humungous revenue and all the advantages that comes from having a national airline.
He said: “We use to be a dominant carrier in the continent of Africa through Nigeria Airways. Sadly, Nigeria Airways is no more. Government has been quite liberal by liberalising the sector at the tail end of 70s and early 80s to allow private sector to participate in creating robust airlines that would serve the market and that would transform the economy of that region.”
Sirika stated that unfortunately, the stories of the initiatives, which were well recognised and respected, has not yielded the desired goals of achieving a top class, competitive, efficient and vibrant carriers.
With the government of Nigeria, he stated that it is extremely important that the service is provided, stressing that there is a service that is needed with ability to offer employment opportunities that would kick start, ginger, double up and rush the growth of the economy of Nigeria.
“So, we take it as an extremely very important venture. And that is why government thought it has the responsibility upon itself much more than a social in trying to create a new national carrier that will be typical and private sector-led and driven through PPP arraignment,” the minister stated.
The investors, he reiterated, would invest their money with the strategic partners deciding who runs the airline.
His words: “This airline is a business and not a social service. It is not intended to kill any airline in Nigeria, but complement it and promote it.
“It must be done in a right way so that it will be here to stay. Government will not hold shares beyond five per cent at the top most. This airline is having the backing of the government. Government will come up with funding according to the Business Case that has been delivered to government.
“The airline will take into cognizance the multi-cultural nature of nation through its diversity. We want to use this airline to make a statement that yes we can do it. We have a policy where employment goes to Nigerians first before it goes outside.”
The unveiling was witnessed by Sirika; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Alhaji Zakari Sabiu; defunct Nigeria Airways first captain, Capt Bob Hayes and Director-General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Chidi Izuwah.
Others are Commissioner, Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Mr. Akin Olateru; Managing Director, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Capt. Folayele Akinkuotu and Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Muhtar Usman, among others.