The Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika today Wednesday the 18th of July unveiled the name and logo of the long awaited Nigerian carrier – Nigeria Air. This happened at the Farnborough International Airshow in London.
Speaking at the event, the Minister noted that this was not a social service but a private sector driven initiative. According to him, the Federal Government will only own 5% of the new carrier.
He said “This will be a National Carrier that is Private sector-led and driven.
“It is a business, not a social service. The government will not be involved in running it or deciding who runs it. The investors will have full responsibility for this.”
He noted that though the announcement is coming later than initially planned, the Federal Government was committed to ensuring the National Carrier is fully functional by the end of the year.
The minister also added that the creation of the airline, will also boost our economy and create employment for Nigerians. He said “We want to use this new private-sector-led airline to make a statement that, ‘Yes, Nigeria can do it!’ and we also want to promote our cultures and traditions. It will also create economic opportunities and jobs”
Speaking on the issue of the planes that will be used by the airline, he said “We’ve been talking to Airbus and Boeing (and they’re present at this event) regarding the aircraft for Nigeria Air, and we will be making announcements very soon. We are currently negotiating.”