The Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has refuted reports that Aero Contractors has been named Nigeria’s national carrier.
The General Manager, Public Affairs of NAMA, Supo Atobotele said the reports are untrue.
Corroborating the NAMA spokesperson’s position, the General Manager, Corporate Communications of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Yakubu Dati said “when a decision is taken on the National carrier, the honourable Minister [of Aviation], Princess Stella Oduah will make the declaration”.
He added that “We share in the anxiety of most Nigerians as we await the birth of this dream. For now, we can only appeal for patience to allow for due process.”
Media reports were rife on Monday that the Federal Government had chosen Aero Contractors as the National carrier and cited the Federal Government’s 60 per cent stake, through the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, in Aero as justification for the choice of the airline. Legacy Holdings, a company owned by the Ibru family, owns the remaining 40 per cent equity in Aero.
It would be recalled that the aviation ministry had previously set September 2013 as the date for the official commencement of operations for the National Carrier but it couldn’t achieve the deadline because it is still discussing with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on how to inject the sum of $500 million as start-up capital for the carrier.
The ministry is also still shopping for technical partners to drive the National Carrier.
-Daily Trust
