The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) says it is working to ensure Air Nigeria begins to convey Nigerians before the end of President Muhammad Buhari’s administration.
The Acting Director-General of the commission, Michael Ohiani, said all hands were on deck to get it operational.
According to him, the ICRC was working closely with the Ministry of Aviation and informed that a new presidential approval had just been given that would advance the process.
He also gave the assurance that the process would be moving to the next stage by the end of February.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Ohiani said, “I want to assure the Nigerian public that we are working round the clock to get it operational. We are working with the Ministry of Aviation and we have just got a presidential approval.
“We will get the concessionaire, once we have got the concessionaire which is a major step, the issue of operation will now follow.
“I can assure you that before the end of this administration, Air Nigeria will start flying,” he said.
Recall that in November 2021, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the commencement of processes to inaugurate the nation’s air carrier, Nigeria Air.
The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, who at that time briefed newsmen, had announced April 2022 as the effective date for the take-off.
In a related development, the ICRC acting DG said plans were ongoing for the establishment of six cargo agro airports in the six geo-political zones.
Ohiani said that the cargo airports were part of the commitment of the present administration to boost agriculture, adding that the airport would boost transportation of produce within and outside Nigeria.
He hinted that the cargo airport project was still in its development stage. Ohiani added that a lot of efforts were being made in the aviation industry to achieve the Presidential Aviation Road Map.
For the concession of terminal operations at the four International Airports, the ICRC boss said that the commission and its partners were currently procuring companies that would operate the terminals.
“Apart from that we have what we call MRO, which is the development of a Maintenance, Repairs and Overhaul facilities.
“As we speak, an investor has emerged in respect of that and so we are trying to finalise. We also have the establishment of the Aviation Leasing Company.
“Experience has shown that for you to have a sustainable aviation industry, you have to have a leasing company so that the operators can easily acquire fleets of planes,” he said.
Ohiani assured that the commission was already concluding plans to go to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval to concession the establishment of the leasing company.
