Adedapo Adesanya
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Managing Director of Nigeria Air, Captain Dayo Olumide, has revealed that the aircraft unveiled recently by the former administration of Mr Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria Air was chattered from Ethiopia, with the purpose of showcasing to Nigerians and their shareholders.
Captain Dayo made the revelation when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Aviation to clarify the controversies surrounding the airline which was launched a day before the expiration of the last administration.
He added that the aircraft that came and left was a legitimate chartered flight which can be done by anyone who doesn’t have a license as long as he pays for it, noting that for Nigeria to operate an aircraft, it must be Nigeria registered.
He added that the particular aircraft that was unveiled was not registered and came into Nigeria with a few days’ clearances from Ethiopia and was returned after use.
He further stated that Nigeria only has an airport license which is one of two licenses required for operating an airline, and does not permit one to carry out commercial services operations.
The MD further revealed that for Nigeria Air to get the needed license, Nigeria must have three aircraft before the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) gives the country an air license to fly and the three aircraft must be Nigeria-registered.
According to him, there are five phases or steps one goes through to get the license, and Nigeria is still in phase one of the process.
While reacting to some reports that the passengers on board bought tickets, the MD refuted the claims, noting that they were staff of Ethiopia Airlines brought in for the unveiling.
Captain Dayo, with 40 years’ experience in airline operations, further confirmed that he was appointed in February 2022, to secure the air operating certificate for the airline to fly and not to operate the airline.
He added that Nigeria is not at a point of operating the airline yet, as Nigeria Air does not have a terminal for international operations.
In a related development, the House of Representatives has also poked holes in the purported launch of Nigeria Air, declaring it a fraud.
Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation, Mr Nnolim Nnaji, declared the launch of Nigeria Air a fraud after the major stakeholders in the deal between the federal government and Ethiopian Airlines denied knowledge of the launch.
The Ministry of Aviation claimed Nigeria Air was only unveiled and not launched, which the committee dismissed as an attempt to divert the lawmakers’ attention.
