With five days left for the current administration to end its tenure , the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika has again confirmed that the national carrier will be unveiled by President Muhammadu Buhari before May 29.
Earlier, Sirika, at an aviation stakeholder’s forum in Abuja in March, said that Nigeria Air - the Flag carrier of Nigeria , will commence full operations before the end of President Buhari’s administration.
In an exclusive interview with Channels Television, the minister said that a Nigeria Air aircraft will land in the country in two days as part of processes to commence operations and unveiling of the delivery process.
According to Channels TV, Sirika said that a Nigeria Air aircraft will land in the country in two days as part of processes to commence operations and unveiling of the delivery process.
He also mentioned during the interview that the aircraft will be unveiled in Nigeria’s colours in fulfillment of all the promises made by the administration in the aviation sector.
Yet to be issued an Air Operators Certificate (AOC) by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA) , Nigeria Air will have Ethiopian Airlines as a major share holder , as it had won a bid to own 49% of the Proposed carrier.
The minister , however, noted that the only incomplete item is the aerotropolis , which is the airport city and is 60 percent complete.
Adding further on the aerotropolis project, he said that the ground work has been completed , and are looking to conclude work on the airport city by the next administration.
Road block of the project is , Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), is challenging the selection of Ethiopian Airlines as core investor / technical partner for the controversial project.
The AON is against the 15-year tax moratorium to be granted the new carrier insisting that such preferential treatment will push competitors out of business.
