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From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has moved a step closer to establishing a state-owned airline by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China Express Airline Co. Ltd and KDN Aero.
The governor signed the agreement at Government House, Benin City, with representatives of the Chinese airline led by its President, Shansheng Li, following a presentation on the company’s operational capacity.
He said the carrier would be operating “very soon”.
Expressing satisfaction with the proposed partnership and describing the MoU as the beginning of a longer relationship, Okpebholo said: “We have signed the MoU, and this is the first part of it. We will continue to build on it.
“A presentation was made, which was very beautiful and wonderful. We have seen your capability, and we are ready to do business with you. By the grace of God, Edo Air will be in the airspace very soon. So, we are in partnership with you,” he added.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Umar Musa Ikhilor, Esq., said the agreement followed a fact-finding trip to China by a seven-man delegation on September 14, 2026, approved by the governor to meet potential technical and operational partners for the proposed airline.
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Ikhilor led the delegation, which included the Head of Service, Dr Anthony Okungbowa; the Accountant-General, Julius Anelu; and the Chief Aviation Consultant to the Edo State Government, Captain Nuhu Musa. Other government officials and aviation experts were also on the team.
He said the delegation visited China Express Airline and the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), the country’s major aircraft manufacturer, to assess their capabilities and explore areas of cooperation.
Of the two organisations, Ikhilor said China Express left a stronger impression on the delegation. At the airline’s headquarters, the team toured its flight-monitoring operations. He said the situation room had a giant screen tracking flights across China, with 192 flights already logged by 10 a.m. on the day of the visit.
The SSG said the facilities inspected and the discussions with the airline’s management convinced the delegation that China Express was a suitable technical and operational partner for Edo Air. He expressed hope that the MoU and further engagements would lay the foundation for concrete steps towards realising the governor’s plan to establish an Edo-owned airline.
At the Government House event, Li presented the governor with a model aircraft, while the Managing Director of KDN AERO, Tianzhi Chen, spoke on behalf of the Chinese delegation and took the audience through the airline’s operations and capabilities.
The meeting was attended by the Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa; the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilor, Esq.; the Head of Service, Dr Anthony Okungbowa; the Chief of Staff, Hon. Yakubu Musa, JP; the Commissioner for Finance, Engr. Emmanuel Okoebor; and other government officials.
