According to reports from Bloomberg, Nigerian Air, the country’s new national carrier, is scheduled to begin its operations by October this year.

The CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, which holds a 49% stake in the airline, disclosed in an interview with Bloomberg TV that they are eager to see Nigerian Air start flying both local and international routes.

Ethiopian Airlines secured the bid to manage operations for the proposed Nigeria Air in 2022, amid controversy as local players complained about unfair advantages during the bidding process.

The airline is expected to commence operations with two wide-bodied planes and six narrow-bodied aircraft.

The CEO of Ethiopian Airlines expressed optimism about Nigeria’s potential despite acknowledging the challenging business environment in the country.

The launch of Nigerian Air in 2018 had also sparked controversies, with questions raised about ownership of the aircraft used during the unveiling event.