Nigeria Air advances towards take-off, gets air transport licence

BY CHISOM NWATU

Nigeria’s proposed national carrier, Nigeria Air, on Monday advanced a step towards commencement of operation with the presentation of an Air Transport Licence (ATL) to its interim management board by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

ATL is a licence issued as authorisation to permit airlines to provide scheduled and non-scheduled services. It is one of the licences received by airlines before they can commence operation, while they wait for the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) that fully guarantees them the right to render air services.

The Federal Ministry of Aviation announced this via its Twitter handle, @fmaviationng, on Monday, displaying images from the presentation of the ATL to the interim board of the proposed airline.

“Happening now; Presentation of Airline Transport Licence (ATL) to Interim Board of Nigeria Air. Nigeria Air is here and is going to provide quality service to Nigerians,” the ministry tweeted.

Nigeria Air is the country’s proposed national carrier which is meant to be a public-private partnership with the federal government maintaining five percent shares, equity partners 49 percent, while Nigeria entrepreneurs would hold 46 percent.

Nigeria Air Limited had in April 2022 applied to the NCAA for a licence to operate scheduled and non-scheduled passenger and cargo service. It had also, in a public notice as part of the requirements for obtaining an Air Transport Licence, requested any individual or organisation with objection to speak up within 28 days of publication of the notice.

The ATL certification precedes the Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC), which empowers the airline to operate scheduled commercial flights.

Musa Nuhu, director general, NCAA, said the Nigeria Air promoters have applied for AOC and the process is still ongoing.

He, however, said he could not guarantee when the AOC would be issued because, as with other airlines that apply for AOC, some of the related issues were not completely under the control of the NCAA, such as seeking security clearance for the applicant.