The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) issued an air operator certificate (AOC) to Enugu Air on Tuesday to boost the state-owned airline’s operations.

Uche Anichukwu, Governor Peter Mbah’s senior special assistant on external relations, who disclosed this in a statement, said the event took place in Abuja.

Mr Anichukwu described the development as a significant step in the realisation of Mr Mbah’s vision to position Enugu as a regional hub for commerce, logistics, and aviation in West and Central Africa.

He said the director-general of the NCAA, Chris Najomo, described the development as historic in Nigeria’s aviation industry.

According to Mr Anichukwu, Mr Najomo said Enugu Air successfully completed the rigorous certification process in just five months and three weeks, significantly faster than the typical industry timeline of 15 months to 24 months.

Mr Najomo also noted that the airline distinguished itself by commencing operations with a fleet of six aircraft, a rare feat for a newly certified airline in the country.

The NCAA boss said the certification process involved extensive evaluation across multiple departments of the authority and confirmed that Enugu Air had met all regulatory requirements.

He commended the vision and leadership of Mr Mbah, acknowledged the dedication of the Enugu State team, and urged the airline’s management to maintain the highest standards of safety, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence.

The NCAA DG presented the AOC to the airline’s accountable manager and chief executive officer, Tolu Ita.

Mr Ita commended Mr Mbah for creating an enabling environment and providing leadership support that made the record-breaking certification possible.

He thanked the NCAA for its professionalism and support throughout the certification process and reaffirmed the airline’s commitment to building a reliable, efficient, and globally competitive carrier.

Also speaking, the state commissioner for transportation, Obi Ozor, said the airline planned to expand its fleet to 20 aircraft and commence regional operations before the end of 2026 to connect Enugu to key domestic and international markets.

He also commended Enugu Air’s operating partner, XEJet Limited, for guiding the airline through the rigorous regulatory certification process required for the issuance of the AOC.

The group chief executive officer of XEJet Limited, Emmanuel Iza, congratulated the airline on the achievement and expressed pride in the partnership between Enugu Air and XEJet.

In his remarks, the board chairman of Enugu Air, Richard Agu, pledged the government’s continued support to take the airline to greater heights.

(NAN)