Aviation Minister Says National Airline Will Be Ready By 2021.

The Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, on Wednesday told the Federal Executive Council (FEC) that efforts at establishing a national carrier would come to fruition by 2021.
Hadi Sirika says Nigeria Air project remains a priority to Buhari’s government. [channelstv]
Hadi Sirika says Nigeria Air project remains a priority to Buhari’s government. [channelstv]
Sirika, who briefed State House correspondents after the meeting presided over President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said the ministry submitted its scorecard to FEC.
He said that the report showed the resilience of civil aviation in terms of crisis; adding that it would also survive the shock created by Covid-19.

Sirika said that the report also showed that the implementation of the aviation roadmap had done a great deal of job for civil aviation.

According to him, civil aviation grew in the last quarter of 2019 by 15 per cent, which makes it the second fastest growing sector.

“The mandate that we were given in 2019, was to identify all stalled projects and ensure completion, which we have done; about 40 of them; and you remember in the last dispensation, we identified 157 out of them; we have completed 134;

“This is 100 per cent and this time, we identified 40; and we are at the various stages of finishing them.

“Second, is to complete construction works at airports and we told council that by the fourth quarter of 2021, we will finish construction work at the airports, all of the four airports.

“And then to implement effective maintenance and optimal use of airport facilities, that is being done; we are drawing up maintenance programme and other projects around these airports.

“We were also asked to ensure the establishment of national carrier; it is at very advanced stage; the outline business case is completed; the socio-economic impact of having a carrier has been added to outline business case.

“It will be coming for approval; then by 2021 quarter three, we will have the national carrier established; and the planes will be flying domestically.

“After certifying all of the requirements, European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and so on, we will begin international operations.’’

He said that through collaboration with the private sector, the sector had shown that it had the capacity to create 241, 000 jobs in the country from civil aviation.