Nigeria’s national airliner, Air Nigeria, is expected to begin operations in April next year.
Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, disclosed this to newsmen after the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Sirika said the national carrier will be run by a company in which the Nigerian government will hold a 5% stake, Nigerian entrepreneurs holding 46%, while the remaining 49% will be reserved for yet to be assigned strategic equity partners, including foreign investors.
He further explained that the national carrier, when operational, will create about 70,000 jobs for Nigerians.
Sirika recalled that over 400 thousand Nigerians participated in choosing the name which was launched in 2018.
“The name is Air Nigeria, which of course, if you remember back in time, this was subject to national debate and 400,000 people participated, chose the name, the colour, the logo, everything and it was produced that time,” Sirika said.
“It was launched also in Farnborough as far back as 2018. So, the business case is a public document. It will be on our website, you can download it and we can give you copies. This airline will pick up and start, by God’s grace, on or before April 2022.”
