Going by remarks by President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria may soon see the rebirth of the defunct Nigerian Airways. The President yesterday instructed the ministry of aviation to initiate the process that will culminate in the establishment of a new national airline for the country. President Buhari gave the directive while receiving briefing from officials of the Aviation Ministry, led by Binta Bello, permanent secretary.

Bello said the president was worried about Nigeria not having a national air carrier and has given instruction for a new one to be established. According to her, the President was briefed on the challenges facing domestic airlines in spite of the federal government intervention fund of N300 billion towards boosting their operations. She explained that the airlines were hugely indebted to regulatory agencies under the Aviation Ministry, including other factors that have left some of the airlines still struggling to maintain optimum operational capabilities.

Bello said the President also ordered the take over of the nation’s airspace, the Gulf of Guinea, from Ghana. “We have a directive by the president to start the process of securing management of Nigerian airspace over the Gulf of Guinea which Ghana has been maintaining since 1945 and there is a move on the ground by Togo and Republic of Benin to take over the management of their own airspace from Ghana.”