At Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), a plane from Nigeria Air, the projected national carrier, has touched down.
This was revealed by the aviation minister, Hadi Sirika, in a tweet on Friday.
Before the start of operations, the minister had announced on Wednesday that the federal government will accept delivery of the aircraft today.
We are present. All honour belongs to the Almighty God. It has been a very long, tiresome, intimidating, and challenging path. We appreciate the help from everyone. This will be for us and future generations, if God’s will is done. Make it profitable for our nation and humanity, Ya Allah,” Sirika tweeted on Friday.
Earlier Friday, The federal government announced that the proposed national airline would be formally unveiled.
According to an invitation, the ceremony is scheduled to take place today at 4 pm in the Nigerian Aviation Operations Center in the Abuja airport.
On Friday, May 26, 2023, at 4 pm, “the federal ministry of aviation kindly requests your presence at the official launching of Nigeria Air,” the paper states.
Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), representing domestic aviation companies, denounced Sirika’s decision to launch the projected national airline before May 29, 2023.
The airlines called the move disrespectful and shady in a statement released on Friday and signed by Obiora Okonkwo, the AON spokesperson. They claimed that the federal high court had temporarily blocked the minister’s attempts to flog the airline pending the outcome of the union’s substantive lawsuit.
The group further asserted that Nigeria Air still lacked an airline operating certificate (AOC), a crucial operation licencing.
