Emirates Airlines has made an offer to partner with Nigeria in its quest to establish a national carrier.
This was made known by the Special Assistant to Senator Hadi Sirika, Minister of Aviation, Mr James Odaudu, at Abuja on Monday.
Odaudu said that the President of Emirates Airlines, Mr. Tim Clark, made the offer during a panel discussion at Dubai Expo 2020 held to discuss the future of aviation.
Clark said that Emirates Airlines would be happy to help if assistance was requested of it in starting Nigeria’s national carrier.
“We are very interested in flying there because it is a rich nation in terms of demand for services,” Clark said.
Sirika said, at the session, that the offer by Emirates Airlines could not be anything other than an endorsement of the need, the zeal, and the process for the national carrier project.
He said that Emirates Airlines’ move was also an expression of confidence of the international aviation community in the commitment by Nigeria to own its own airline.
He said that the offer was an encouragement to the many bidders currently preparing their Public Private Partnership bids for Nigeria Air in response to the Request for Proposal advertised by Nigeria.
Sirika assured that the process for the acquisition of the Air Operator’s Certificate and the Air Transport License was well on course for the expected launch date of the national carrier that Nigerians would be proud of.
“As it has been repeatedly stated, the whole process for the establishment of the national carrier and all the projects under government’s aviation roadmap has been guided by the principles of transparency and accountability.
“Boldly speaking, this will remain till the final delivery of the project,” the minister said.
Expo 2020 was a World Expo hosted by Dubai from October 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022.
It was originally scheduled for October 20, 2020, to April 10, 2021. The organisers kept the name ‘Expo 2020’ for marketing and branding purposes in spite of its postponement because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
