A few days after announcing that the country is ready to flag off its own Airline, the Nigerian government has said that the proposed airline, Nigeria Air will commence operations with three wet-leased aircraft.
According to Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation, Wet-lease is an arrangement covering the hire of an aircraft, including the provision of a flight crew and sometimes fuel.
On Wednesday, the Federal executive council approved April, 2022, as the take-off date of the airline. Sirika said leasing would be the arrangement pending when the company ordered new planes.
He added that it would take about three to five years to get an ordered aircraft delivered.
“They will start with wet-leased aircraft and that’s how 90 percent of airlines in the world would have started. So they will start with a wet-lease of three aircraft and then continue to expand, place orders and then get deliveries,” he said.
Sirika stressed that the federal government would not manage the carrier, rather investors in the carrier would run the business.
Sirika further announced that from the start of next week, the ministry would send out request for proposals to investors who are keen on owning shares in the proposed national carrier, as talks with prospective investors was ongoing.
