Court stops NCAA from issuing operator’s certificate to Nigeria Air

The hope of the country floating a new national carrier, Nigeria Air, before the government exits the stage on May 29th has again been dashed as the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has stopped the Director General of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA) from issuing Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) to the airline.

Honourable Justice A. Lewis Allagoa granted orders of interim and interlocutory injunctions in the terms contained in the order, restraining taking of any step in relation to the Nigeria Air project.

A letter dated 19th April 2023 to notify the NCAA of the restraining order by the plaintiff’s lawyer Abubakar Nuhu Ahmed, Esq. of Nureini Jimoh (SAN) Chambers read: “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 (AOC), 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.”