The Federal Government has expressed its support for the emergence of more state-owned airlines in Nigeria, following the issuance of Pioneer Airlines' Air Operator Certificate (AOC) by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The certificate was presented to the airline during a ceremony attended by aviation regulators and airline officials.
NCAA Confirms Certification
Speaking at the event, Director-General of the NCAA, Chris Najomo, stated that the airline successfully completed the mandatory five-phase certification process required for operators before commencing services. The NCAA boss disclosed that Pioneer Airlines completed its certification process in about 4.5 months, describing the timeline as relatively fast compared to the industry average, where some operators spend years before obtaining certification. The issuance of the AOC to the airline has paved the way for the carrier to commence commercial flight operations at any moment from now.
Ministerial Support
A statement yesterday by Tunde Moshood, the Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said the minister gave his support when he received the management team of the Bayelsa State-owned airline in Abuja following the carrier's successful certification. According to the statement, the delegation was led by the Group Managing Director of Pioneer Airlines, Okobaundu Ungbuku, who formally presented the airline's AOC certificate to the minister and expressed appreciation to the ministry and its agencies for their support during the certification process.
Breakthrough for Bayelsa State
Ungbuku described the issuance of the AOC as a major breakthrough for Bayelsa State and commended the minister for supporting indigenous airlines and creating an enabling environment for operators in the aviation industry. He said the achievement showed the Federal Government's commitment to strengthening domestic aviation and expanding opportunities for local carriers.
Government Initiatives
In his response, Keyamo said the increasing participation of sub-national governments in the airline business was a positive development for Nigeria's aviation sector. According to him, the Federal Government is not only developing supportive aviation policies, but is also preparing to assist domestic carriers through a proposed Special Purpose Vehicle known as the Nigerian Leasing Company. He disclosed that Pioneer Airlines would likely benefit from the initiative, which was designed to ease aircraft acquisition challenges facing indigenous operators.
