After Akwa Ibom, Another State Moves to Operate Commercial Airline, Compete with Air Peace, Others

• The government of Bayelsa State has made public its intention to purchase a commercial aircraft
• According to the statement on its FB page, this is necessary for the Bayelsa International Airport to run
• The aircraft reportedly cost about N25 billion has sparked mixed reactions from Nigerians

Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has over 3-year-experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.

Following months of speculation, the Bayelsa State Government has declared its plan to buy a commercial aircraft to enable the Bayelsa International Airport to operate.

The government announced the decision on their Facebook sites according to a Punch report. The social media handlers were headed by Kolawole Oredipe, the Director General of New Media, and other social media assistants.

Oredipe’s Facebook post read,

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“The aircraft to be purchased by the Bayelsa Airport Ltd is to ensure regular flights and full operation of the Bayelsa Int. Airport!”

More about the proposed aircraft

News of Governor Douye Diri's decision to buy an airplane had been making the rounds, but the government had kept everything under wraps until now, so it was unclear for what purpose.

Although the government has not released an official announcement regarding the planned purchase, rumours suggest that the aircraft would cost roughly N25 billion.

Reactions to the move have been conflicting. Some observers have praised the decision, but others have criticised it and called attention to other important sectors that need greater funding and focus from the government.

They mentioned that the state of Bayelsa was left without electricity due to the collapse of two power towers, and that the education system is beset by inadequate and decaying facilities in addition to a teacher shortage.

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The aircraft will expectedly be bought under the name of Bayelsa Airport Limited, a limited liability business, according to sources close to the state administration, raising more doubts about its competence to run an airline.

The PUNCH gathered that the state's Commissioner for Information, Orientation, and Strategy, Ebiowou Koku-Obiyai, would hold a press conference to provide additional information on the matter. It is unclear if the state government has already acquired the aircraft or placed an order for it.

When contacted earlier on Saturday regarding the feasibility of the Bayelsa International Airport, Koku-Obiyai was evasive, pointing out that the airport provided a choice for residents of the neighbouring states of Delta and Rivers.

Regarding whether the airport is still in use for business, she stated that there was a contract with an airline, but there haven't been any flights in a while. She speculated that this could be because of maintenance needs or problems with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.

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Ibom Air Acquires New Aircraft

Legit.ng reported that Ibom Air, the state-owned airline, intends to add an extra Airbus A220-300 to its fleet in order to increase capacity and fulfill the increasing demand for its services.

Ibom Air placed an order for ten Airbus A220-300 aircraft in October 2022; the first aircraft was delivered in November of the previous year.

The company purchased the A220 from Carlyle Aviation, a well-known aircraft lessor and a significant player in the global aviation market, since the growing demand for its services exceeded its delivery timeline.

Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng

Source: Legit.ng