Setback as AON Stops Nigeria Air takeoff with court order

Nigeria Air’s plan to obtain the Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suffered a setback as the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have filed a restraining order against the aviation regulator.

In the restraining order letter dated April 19, 2023, the lawyer representing AON, Abubakar Nuhu Ahmed, warned NCAA’s Director General, Captain Nuhu Musa, of taking action that will ridicule the integrity of the agency.

AON, a group of domestic airline operators in Nigeria, filed the restraining order to prevent Nigeria Air from commencing operation.

The group is against the operation due to the partnership between Nigeria Air and Ethiopian Airlines, which AON said could result in revenue loss on the part of domestic airline operators and also the shutdown of the operation of local airlines.

In the restraining order, the counsel said: “You are therefore notified to desist from dealing with the Minister/the Ministry of Aviation and/ or their agents, privies or representatives, pertaining the Air Operator Certificate, subject matter of the suit, to avoid consequences of disobedience of court orders”.

“As a law abiding regulatory agency, you are under the watchful eyes of the world and it is in your interest to desist from any further action on AOC process that will ridicule the integrity of the Agency before the local media as well as the global aviation community.”

Aside from the lawsuit against NCAA, the domestic airline operators have also taken legal action against the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, Ministry of Aviation and Ethiopian Airlines.

The suit against them delayed Nigeria Air from taking off in 2022. Sirika hopes the national carrier will commence before President Muhammdu Buhari leaves office.

However, the AON has continued to block the commencement of Nigeria Air, with the new restraining order threatening Sirika’s projection.