National airline will grow Nigeria’s economy, says Amaechi

Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation, says the establishment of a national carrier will grow Nigeria’s economy.

In an interview with BBC, Amaechi said airline movements enhance the speed at which businesses are transacted within the country and a national airline will aid that.

“The speed at which business is transacted and cargoes or freight are conveyed are greatly enhanced by airline movements, so it will grow your economy and enhance development, including the fact that it will create employment,” Amaechi said.

The old Nigerian Airways ran into extinction, with a debt of over $40 million, after operating for about 45 years — from 1958 to 2003.

Hadi Sirika, Nigeria’s minister of aviation, had said the new national carrier “will be private sector-led. Except with the Ethiopian Airlines it has been proven that government doesn’t do well with this kind of venture”.

He said the national carrier should be strong and viable before the end of 2017.

“We are going to have a national carrier; it is on course and because it is a PPP thing it has to go through IC and C, and also has to follow all the due process.

“So it is time-consuming but I hope very soon before the end of the year we will have a very strong viable national airline.”

The national airline is one of President Muhammadu Buhari’s promise to the Nigerian people.