Revisiting the Nigeria Air project

When on July 18, 2018, Haji Sirika, the Minister of State for Aviation told a large audience, including aviation experts during a diplomatic trip to the United Kingdom of Nigeria’s preparedness to float Nigeria Air, many were ecstatic about the project. He said the project was aimed at resurrecting the defunct Nigeria Airways. The project was expected to bring about innovation in the aviation sector of the country.

It, therefore, came as a quaking bombshell when it was announced that the proposed project has been put on hold. One continues to wonder if the motive behind the project was well thought-out and planned as the sudden suspension clearly portrays a wrong approach and perhaps wasteful decision.  Or how do you explain that a project supposedly well planned and driven actively was put on hold due to alleged investors’ apathy? It will be recalled that on July 18, 2018, at the Farnborough International Air show in the UK, the Nigerian minister announced that the erstwhile Nigeria Airways will be making a return to the skies as Nigeria Air.

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The minister said the Nigerian government would inject 8.8 million dollars into Nigeria Air as viability gap funding. He said private sector investors will bring some 300 million dollars as start-up capital. Obviously, it was shocking when the public got to know that Nigeria Air may not fly for now. Perhaps the project would have continued if only communication was efficient or if knowledgeable Nigerians had been involved rather than the snippets dropped here and there by those in charge. Even the views of the Nigerian air operators were waved off as the experts foresaw loopholes in floating a national airline from scratch, when there were still many deficits. One of the notable Nigerians who spoke against the investment was Oby Ezekwesili, former minister of education, who faulted the plan and financial implication of Nigeria Air.

The decay of Nigeria Airways commenced in 2003 when planes became flying coffins due to substandard purchase of aircraft. The aviation industry has witnessed several losses of lives and property worth billions.

Transportation by air became a risk to the masses, everything that could go wrong with the aviation sector did go wrong from the disengagement of staff to the aborted or better still pending project of Nigeria Air. The project will continually be hollow and a mere drain pipe on the public fund at the expense of the Nigerian tax payer as long as the problem in the aviation sector is not checked.

Having a newly birthed Nigeria Air is a good and welcome development. However, it would have to go beyond Sirika’s optimism and nice words to become an achievable dream. There must be renewed commitment from the government and private sector players to see Nigeria Air work out. Therefore, investors with sincere motives should be bought into the plan. Also, there should be an agreed plan of such intended and magnificent project just as the place of private public partnership remains valid for this kind of idea. Furthermore, Nigeria Air should go beyond some set of political individuals. We have experts who are Nigerians and who will be willing to be part of the think-thank on the initiative and this should be explored totally. Nevertheless, there should be political will to have Nigeria Air rather than vote appeal intention.

A laudable project such as Nigeria Air is strategic to the economic growth of the nation and aviation sector. Government should endeavor to resuscitate it. It must not be allowed to die.

Grace Semudara, ongraciemac1217@gmail.com