The Federal Ministry of Aviation has confirmed that the country’s proposed national carrier, Nigerian Air, has applied for a transport licence.
A source who craved anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter said there was a public notice to that effect as part of the process for getting an operating licence.
The source said, “It is correct; they have applied for a licence already, but part of the process is that after you applied, you must come out with a public notice which was what they did today,” he said.
However, there is confusion about the application of a transport licence by the national carrier to operate scheduled and non-scheduled passenger and cargo services in the nation’s aviation sector.
In an chat with newsmen the general manager, Public Relations, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), yesterday, Sam Adurogboye, said he was not aware of Nigeria Air’s application for a transport licence.
“I don’t have the information. I have not been able to confirm that. I can’t confirm or deny it,” Adurogboye said.
However, Nigeria Air Limited, the country’s proposed national carrier, said it had applied to the NCAA for a licence to operate scheduled and non-scheduled passenger and cargo services.
The company said this in a public notice as part of the requirements for granting an Air Operating Licence. The notice stated that any person or organisation with objection should make it known within 28 days.
“Such objection or representation should be forwarded to: The director-general, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Domestic Wing, Abuja,” it said.
In the notice, Nigeria Air further listed its three-member board of directors/ trustees, Alexander Musa Adeyemi, Mohammed Shuaibu Naibi and Mohammed Rabiu Shehu.
Earlier this month, the federal government asked private sector partners to submit proposals for the takeover of the national carrier.
“To this end, the FG, through the Federal Ministry of Aviation, is inviting interested private parties to submit proposals for the takeover and further development of the national carrier, the recently launched ‘Nigeria Air’ to take advantage of the opportunities of the largest market in Africa,” according to a statement from the ministry.
“The private sector partners/consortia are expected to comprise an International Airline (max. 49 per cent shares), and Nigerian Financial and Institutional Investors (min. 46 per cent shares), so that the total Nigerian shareholding will hold a minimum of 51 per cent of the shares of Nigeria Air’ (including the five per cent non-interactive FGN share), as required by international laws for a national carrier.”
