…Other investors include MRS, SAHCO, Nigerian sovereign funds
…begins recruitment of personnel,
….to commence operations with Abuja-Lagos shuttle
The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced Ethiopian Airline as the preferred bidder for the new national carrier –Nigeria Air.
This was made known by the Minister of Aviation, Sen Hadi Sirika in a press statement made available by his media consultant to the Minister, Dr James
Odaudu yesterday night.
Sirika explained that Ethiopian Airlines was chosen as the preferred bidder because of its performances in the bidding process scoring 86 percent in the process.
The minister who said that the national carrier, Nigeria Air, is well on its way to be launched with three Boeing 737-800 aircraft explained,
“The Request for Proposal (RFP) under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) act, governed by ICRC, is completed. After a careful, detailed and ICRC governed selection process, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) Consortium has been selected as preferred bidder, offering an owner consortium of three Nigerian investors MRS, SAHCO and the Nigerian Sovereign Fund (46%), FGN owning 5% and the preferred bidder, Ethiopian airlines 49%.
He said it is the overall share capital of around $300 Million USD, provided by the preferred bidder that will launch Nigeria Air to its full size of
30 aircraft and international operation within the next two years.
Sirika affirmed that the FGN would not provide further funding beyond the 5 per cent share capital to the national carrier project
Sirika who however said that the consortium has been subjected to a due diligence process, affirmed that the contract will be negotiated
between the consortium and the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), leading to a Full Business Case, (FBC) which will be approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) within six and eight weeks.
Headquartered in Abuja, the new national carrier, according to Sirika, would begin operations with three Boeing 737-800; shuttling between
Nnamidi Azikiwe Airport terminal C Abuja and Murtala Muhammed Domestic Airport Terminal Two (MMA2) Lagos, while other domestic
destinations will follow thereafter.
“The Request for Proposal (RFP) under the PPP act, governed by ICRC, is completed. After a careful, detailed and ICRC governed selection process, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) Consortium has been selected as preferred bidder, offering an owner consortium of three Nigerian investors MRS, SAHCO and the Nigerian Sovereign Fund (46%), FGN owning 5% and Ethiopian Airlines 49%. The consortium has been subject to a due diligence process, after which the contract will be negotiated between the consortium and the FGN, leading to a Full Business Case, which will be expected to be approved Federal Executive Council (FEC). We expect this process to take 6-8 weeks,” Sirika said..
The minister affirmed that the FGN would not provide further funding beyond the 5 per cent share capital to the national carrier project, claimed that part of the 5 percent share money has been expended in the process of registration and others processes which gave birth to the airline.
“The money spent for the launch of Nigeria Air, for all the requirements to establish an AOC and be admitted starting an airline
operation, is well within the 5 per cent capital investment of the Federal Government of Nigeria, that will be overall needed to establish the National Carrier initially for the AOC approval and everything else required by stringent national aviation regulations, as prescribed in the FEC approved Outline Business Case (OBC),” he said.
Sirika also said the preferred bidder has met the OBC requirement which is the overall shared capital valued at about $300million. “This OBC is the milestone for the preferred Bidder Consortium and has been met by the submitted business plan of the preferred bidder. It is
the overall share capital of around 300 Mio USD, provided by the preferred bidder that will launch Nigeria Air to its full size of 30
aircraft and international operation within the next two years. No further FGN funding will be provided above the 5% share capital of the
next national Carrier of Nigeria, which was provided to launch Nigeria Air. The Nigeria Air Limited has meanwhile the minister of aviation
via his confirmed twitter handle, yesterday said the recruitment of the airline staff would be launched very soonn.
“Nigeria Air is now recruiting qualified crew for the following positions: Experienced, and current B737 Captains; Experienced, and
Current B737 First Officers; Experienced, and Current B737 Senior Cabin Crew and Cabin Crew Experienced, and Current B737 Engineers
(B1/B2 preferred),” the memo noted. It said the positions are based in Abuja or Lagos and that competitive
salaries are offered. The ministry said an application portal for other open positions will
be available shortly on the website; www.nigeriaair.world.
Qualified candidates are required to forward their Curriculum Vitae (CVs) to recruitment@nigeriaair.world
“However, due to the immediate recruitment requirements for the above operational positions only, we ask that CVs be sent to the following
email address: recruitment@nigeriaair.world,” the memo read.
It said, “Your application will be carefully assessed, and suitable candidates will be invited for an interview,”
“We will not reply to applications that do not meet the above criteria,” the memo noted
