The new national carrier will commence operation by the first quarter of 2022, the minister of aviation, Hadi Sirika has disclosed.
He disclosed this while addressing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting on Wednesday.
According to him, the private sector-run national airline will be in operation by early 2022, with possibly cheaper rates.
The minister said that COVID-19 pandemic had forced the postponement of the planned date of 2021 end, adding that his ministry would, in two weeks, return to the council to submit a memo with an outline business case for council’s approval.
Sirika said that the establishment of the national carrier would position Nigeria to compete with other nations, in line with the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) project and develop as a regional hub for air transportation.