Nigeria’s newest upcoming airline Nigeria Air is set to begin operations in October, per Bloomberg.
Proposed as the flag carrier of Nigeria, the airline was founded many, many years ago, but its launch has been a long time in the making. In May of 2023, it secured its first aircraft.
However, it struggled to obtain its AOC. The Air Operating Certificate is a hugely important step to secure in beginning operations, and with backlash from other domestic airlines, it was a challenge for the upcoming company.
Parent company Ethiopian Airlines says eight aircraft will initially fly with Air Nigeria. These will be made up of two widebodies and six narrowbodies.
Ethiopian Airlines has a 49% stake in the company and wants to see Nigeria Air expand domestically and internationally in the future.
With the backing of Ethiopian, there is a firm belief at the board level, there will be many successes enjoyed with Nigeria Air.
Generally, with Nigeria Air, the mission is for the people of Nigeria to have an airline they are proud of. There is a lot of potential viewed there, and while it can be a challenging operating environment, the hope is to turn that into a positive.
