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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The journey to establishing a national carrier gained a milestone on Monday as the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) presented an Air Transport License (ATL) to the interim management of Nigeria Air led by a veteran commercial pilot, Captain Dapo Olumide.
An ATL certification is a document that states the kinds of operations a carrier will embark on scheduled, non-scheduled, cargo air services within and outside Nigeria.
It precedes the Air Operator’s Certificate which empowers the airline to operate scheduled commercial flights.
Speaking at the ATL presentation in Abuja, the Director-General of the NCAA, Captain Musa Nuhu, said the licence has a five-year validity, from June 3, 2022 to June 2, 2027.
He added that the anticipated new national airline is expected to provide scheduled and non-scheduled services.
“It is one of the licenses received by airlines before they can commence operation just as they await the all-important Air Operator Certificate (AOC) that fully guarantees them the right to begin air services.
“We as the civil aviation regulator, we support all operators, those currently existing in the industry, we work together with them, and those aspiring and those who are processing we work together with them and support them to ensure they get all their documentations after meeting all their requirements in without exception. This ATL has gone through all the processes.
“We have one of the largest markets, if not the largest market in Africa and we stand to gain the most from this EU agenda 2063 programmes, so welcome onboard.
“Hopefully you will start flying soon and like other operators in Nigeria, we hope you actively participate in the African air transport market for the benefit of the national economic growth and a greater contribution from the aviation industry to the Gross Domestic Product. The more the industry contributes, the more we will become influential in the scheme of things in the nation’s commitments and otherwise”, the NCAA boss explained.
Responding, interim head of Air Nigeria, Capt Dapo Olumide described the Nigerian Air project is part of the aviation roadmap that was conceived by President Muhammadu Buhari and being actively driven by the Minister of Aviation.
He added that the airline will we restore the faded pride of Nigeria in global air transport.
“We need to instill in the minds of people that Nigeria with its population in excess of 200 million people has the capacity to have its own national airline.
“The national airline is one aspect of the entire roadmap project which you know includes an MRO which it is a Maintenance facility, aircraft leasing, aviation university, specifically geared towards educating people in the aviation sector as opposed to a general university”, he stated.
