Aviation
NG Eagle finally gets operating certificate, may replace Nigeria Air
NG Eagle finally gets operating certificate, may replace Nigeria Air
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has granted an Air Operating Certificate to the NG Eagle to operate in the nation’s airspace and set to get the national carrier status.
This is coming from the Federal Ministry of Aviation after the Nigeria Air project remains entangled in controversy and legal issue, according to a report by the LEADERSHIP.
The AOC of the airline was said to have been ready since September 2021 but not signed by the Director-General of the NCAA.
The NG Eagle project promoted by the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) was incorporated on July 11, 2019 with a share capital of 1,000,000,000. It was however suspended after registration on orders of the Senate in October 2021.
The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has taken the aviation ministry to court over the Nigeria Air project, seeking to stop the national carrier deal and withdraw the Air Transport Licence (ATL) already issued to the new airline by the Federal Government, through the NCAA.
The operators comprising Air Peace, United Nigeria, Azman, and Top Brass claimed that the firm that served as Transaction Adviser for the transaction was incorporated in March, last year, and alleged that the company was linked to the aviation minister.
The local airlines further alleged that the ATL issued to Nigerian Air did not pass through normal security clearance.
The court’s order of status quo has made Nigeria Air to miss its kick-off date for the sixth time.
The report quoted a managing director of a foremost airline in the country as reliably informing that the NCAA had finally granted NG Eagle AOC to begin operation.
The source reportedly said, “NG Eagle has been granted AOC.”
President, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Nigeria (AOPAN), Alex Nwuba, said, “Good news, watch, potentially Nigeria Air.”
But Chief Executive Officer, Centurion Security and Safety Consults, Capt. John Ojikutu, disagreed that it was a good move, saying, the best that could happen is to make Nigeria Air operate locally.
According to him, no country in International Air Transport Association (IATA) will give Nigeria Air destination because of their trapped funds.
“I don’t think the NG Eagle will mischievously be made to become the Nigeria Air and I also still do not believe that the Nigeria Air can fly before May 29, 2023. The best that can ever happen is to operate the domestic routes and not the international or the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA), routes without clearing many huddles along its path which include the earnings in forex owned by the foreign airlines trapped in the country’s Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
“Don’t forget that IATA is involved and no country in IATA will give Nigeria Air destinations if it is designated a National or Flag Carrier except may be Ethiopian Airlines its investment and technical parameters,” Ojikutu, a former military commandant, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos said.
Also speaking, the Director of Research and Corporate Travel, Zenith Travel Consult, Olumide Ohunayo, insisted that, with NG Eagle, the Nigeria would still not fly because of the hurdles the airline needs to cross.
He said the aircraft purchased by the NG Eagle had been canibalised with engines and other critical parts removed.
Ohunayo, however, argued that if the new airline was forced to fly by May 29, it won’t be long before they start experiencing crisis.
“The belated AOC give to Nigeria Eagle is not something that I want to rejoice about. I don’t think I am seeing a success story, because most of the aircraft they were supposed to be used were cannibalized and engines remove. Those aircraft cannot immediately fly so the issue of May 29 is not in place at the moment because they need to put a lot of things in order.”
Aviation
248 Passengers Safe as Aircraft Makes Emergency Landing in Lagos
248 Passengers Safe as Aircraft Makes Emergency Landing in Lagos
An aircraft carrying 248 passengers and 12 crew members made a successful emergency landing in Lagos after developing a mid-air technical fault, aviation and emergency authorities have confirmed.
The aircraft, operated by Qatar Airways, landed safely at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, after the flight crew alerted air traffic control to the fault while en route. Emergency response teams were immediately placed on standby as the plane approached the runway.
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Officials said the aircraft executed a controlled landing, with all passengers and crew evacuated safely and no injuries or fatalities recorded. Emergency agencies, including the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), FAAN, fire services and medical responders, coordinated the operation.
Eyewitnesses at the airport described tense moments as rescue teams lined the runway, but calm was restored shortly after landing when passengers disembarked without incident.
The incident has again drawn attention to aviation safety in Nigeria, though authorities praised the swift response and professionalism of the flight crew and emergency agencies, noting that early alerts and coordination helped avert a major disaster.
248 Passengers Safe as Aircraft Makes Emergency Landing in Lagos
Aviation
VAT on Aircraft, Spare Parts Threatens Survival of Nigerian Airlines, says Allen Onyema
VAT on Aircraft, Spare Parts Threatens Survival of Nigerian Airlines, says Allen Onyema
The Air Peace CEO, Allen Onyema, has warned that Nigeria’s new tax laws threaten the survival of local airlines, arguing that the legislation reinstates taxes removed under the 2020 reforms. The taxes include customs duties on imported aircraft, aircraft parts, engines, and Value Added Tax (VAT) on tickets, which Onyema says will impose unsustainable financial burdens on airlines.
Speaking in an interview with Arise News on Sunday, Onyema stressed the high cost implications for airline operators.
“There is VAT on the importation of aircraft. For an aircraft worth $80 million, you are supposed to pay 7.5 percent. With bank loan interest rates at 30–35 percent, plus VAT on spare parts, it is unsustainable,” Onyema said. “If we implement that tax reform, Nigerian airlines will go down in three months.”
The Air Peace CEO also announced that the airline industry will no longer tolerate unruly passengers starting January 1, 2026. Onyema cited instances of disruptive behaviour by passengers on flights, including smuggling alcohol into the cabin, forcing upgrades to business class without payment, and threatening fellow travellers.
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He referenced a recent incident on a flight diverted to Manchester, UK, due to bad weather, where passengers staged a viral video accusing Air Peace of misconduct, despite British authorities confirming that over 200 flights were diverted that day.
Onyema emphasised that airlines will now enforce stricter measures, including blacklisting unruly passengers, asserting that the behaviour is currently being “supported by the system unnecessarily.”
The statement comes amid growing concerns over rising domestic airfares. On December 10, the Senate summoned the Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, and industry stakeholders over soaring ticket prices. Subsequently, on December 11, the House of Representatives called on the federal government to reduce aviation taxes by 50 percent to ease costs for travellers.
Onyema’s comments highlight both the financial pressures on Nigerian airlines due to aviation taxes and the sector’s new stance on passenger discipline to safeguard safety and service standards.
VAT on Aircraft, Spare Parts Threatens Survival of Nigerian Airlines, says Allen Onyema
Aviation
NCAA arrests man who attempted to stow away on Overland Airways flight in Ilorin (Video)
NCAA arrests man who attempted to stow away on Overland Airways flight in Ilorin (Video)
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has confirmed the arrest of a man identified as Segun Martins, who attempted to stow away on an Overland Airways flight at the Gen. Tunde Idiagbon International Airport, Ilorin, in Kwara State.
Michael Achimugu, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, said in a statement on Wednesday that the incident occurred around 3:02 pm, when Martins allegedly breached airside security and approached an aircraft preparing for take-off.
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According to the NCAA, the suspect attempted to hide between the aircraft tyres before he was spotted and apprehended by airport ground security personnel. He was subsequently handed over to the airport police division for further investigation.
During preliminary interrogation, Martins reportedly said he believed the aircraft was headed for the United States and attempted to escape Nigeria by concealing himself in the aircraft’s undercarriage.
The NCAA reiterated its commitment to ensuring strict security protocols across all airports in the country.
NCAA arrests man who attempted to stow away on Overland Airways flight in Ilorin
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NCAA arrests man who attempted to stow away on Overland Airways flight in Ilorin (Video)
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