By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has presented an Air Transport License (ATL) to the interim management of Nigeria Air, signifying that the country’s proposed national carrier may soon commence operations after years of waiting.
The license was given on Monday, June 6 at the NCAA’s corporate headquarters at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
An ATL certification is a document that states the kinds of operations a carrier will embark on scheduled, non-scheduled, cargo air services within and outside Nigeria.
This licence precedes the Air Operator’s Certificate which empowers the airline to operate scheduled commercial flights.
The ATL signed by the Director-General of the NCAA, Captain Musa Nuhu, will run for a period of five years from June 3, 2022, to June 2, 2027.
The new national airline is expected to provide scheduled and non-scheduled services. It is one of the licenses received by airlines before they can commence operation just as they await the all-important Air Operator Certificate (AOC) that fully guarantees them the right to begin air services.
Nigeria Air Limited, the country’s proposed national carrier, led by Captain Dapo Olumide, had in April 2022 applied to the NCAA for a license to operate scheduled and non-scheduled passenger and cargo services.
The federal government had on July 18, 2018, announced the name of the national carrier – Nigeria Air – in the United Kingdom with the Minister of State for Aviation, Mr Hadi Sirika, unveiling it at the Farnborough International Airshow in London, England.
During the unveiling, the Minister also revealed the logo of the airline, which replaced the defunct Nigeria Airways, which was liquidated as a result of mismanagement.
However, much dispute had delayed the full launching of the carrier but with the new set of licensing, Nigerians will be awaiting the full commencement of the airline service.
In March, the federal government opened a bid for private investors to join the national air carrier to promote economic growth and develop public-private partnerships.
The private sector partners were expected to comprise – Nigerian Financial and Institutional Investors (min. 46 per cent shares) so that the total Nigerien shareholding will hold a minimum of 51 per cent of the shares of Nigeria Air (including the 5 per cent non-interactive FGN share), as required by international laws for a national carrier.
