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Stop 'hating', just support Nigeria Air

Nigeria Air is the nation's new national carrier and we have no choice but to support it.

Nigeria Airways was founded on August 23, 1958 and first took to the skies on October 1, 1958.

I never flew Nigeria Airways even as an adult, so I am not the best judge of the state of its aircraft until it could fly no more.

But stories of how government ran Nigeria Airways aground, abound. To cut a very long story short, everything that could go wrong with the nation’s national carrier, did go wrong. The same old stories bordering on how government is so bad at running any business, was the lot of Nigeria Airways until its planes became flying coffins.

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Nigeria Airways becomes Nigeria Air

On Wednesday, July 18, 2018, at the Fanborough International Airshow in the UK, a smiling Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, gleefully announced that Nigeria Airways will be making a return to the skies as Nigeria Air.

To allay fears bordering on government mismanagement, Sirika said Nigeria Air will be private sector driven.

“The government will step in to cover the viability gap funding, and thereafter, it will ease out. But even with the gap funding, the government will never get involved in the management of the national carrier”, Sirika promised.

That was some sweet music to the ears.

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Sirika added that Nigeria Air will commence operations on December 19, 2018 with a fleet of 5 aircrafts, before expanding to a fleet of 30 aircrafts in 5 years.

"This will be a National Carrier that is private sector led and driven. It is a business, not a social service. Government will not be involved in running it or deciding who runs it. The investors will have full responsibility for this.

"The Nigerian government will not own more than 5% (maximum) of the new National Carrier. Government will not be involved in running it or deciding who runs it.

"81 routes (domestic, regional and international) identified for now, for Nigeria Air, out of more than a thousand considered.

"We want to use this new private-sector-led airline to make a statement that, 'Yes, Nigeria can do it!' and we also want to promote our cultures and traditions. It will also create economic opportunities and jobs", the minister said.

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For skeptics like me, Sirika further assured that “We’ve also made it clear in our certificate that there will be no contribution of government to the decisions of the company.

“The management will have the clear hand to run it as a bankable business with zero management control. If these conditions are violated, we invalidate the certificate and the process”.

Avoiding pitfalls

Sirika’s optimism is infectious, you’ve got to say. The minister also appeared to have it all figured out and he seems to know what he is doing.

But Nigeria Air would have to go beyond Sirika’s optimism and nice words to become a viable business. There has to be renewed commitment from the government and the private sector players to see Nigeria Air work. Nigeria Air has to be professional, it has to be courteous, it has to be run as a 21st century business, it has to be tech savvy and above all, it has to be free from government interference.

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Nigeria Air has to be an airline that one minister or big man in government wouldn't keep waiting on the runway until he’s done with his breakfast; it mustn't be the airline government officials would want to fly in for free. Nigeria Air must not be that airline that will be chartered by a government ministry or the national assembly for free. Everyone has to pay up to keep Nigeria Air up in the skies.

The pitfalls for Nigeria Air are staring us all in the face, but there are avoidable as well. In the end, what will make Nigeria Air a sustainable business operation wouldn't be pseudo or faux patriotism--it would be the commitment of all stakeholders to actualizing the vision, warts and all.

Funding for Nigeria Air

The minister says government will inject $8.8million into Nigeria Air as viability gap funding in order to leverage private sector investment. The private sector investors will bring some $300million to the table in start-up capital.

“All things being equal, on December 19th, 2018, we will have the first set of airplanes flying this airline. It will make profit in three years after operations. We will make investments and follow the business plan through private sector management”, a confident Sirika assured.

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At this point, we can only support our own, as they say. With a population of close to 200 million, the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) we have with over 70 countries, the Africa Single Air Transport Market and 81 domestic, regional and international routes, Nigeria Air can be a huge success story

Nigeria has no business being on the sidelines in a competitive global aviation market, given its sheer population and size, strategic role on the continent and adventurous people.

“It will be the best player if we get it right. If we don’t, it will become a threat to us. I believe we are on the right track”, said Sirika.

Amen!

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