The Enugu State Government has announced that its state-owned airline, Enugu Air, will begin commercial operations on Monday, July 7, 2025.
The announcement was contained in a post by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to Enugu Governor Peter Mbah, Dan Nwomeh, via his official X account on Wednesday.
“Enugu Air set to commence operations with inaugural commercial flight on Monday,” Nwomeh wrote.
While the post noted the imminent start of commercial operations, it did not provide further information on the routes to be served, flight schedules, or booking details.
A check by Nairametrics on Wednesday revealed that, with just days to the announced launch date, there is still no official booking platform or website available for Enugu Air, raising questions about the readiness of the airline for commercial passenger service.
This announcement follows an earlier declaration by the state government in May that Enugu Air would commence commercial operations that same month, a timeline that ultimately did not materialize. At the time, the state government disclosed that three aircraft had been secured for the airline. Two had already been delivered to the state, while a third was expected to arrive before the end of May.
What you should know
In recent years, several Nigerian subnational governments have been exploring the establishment of state-owned airlines as part of broader economic and transport development strategies.
- Akwa Ibom State led this effort with the launch of Ibom Air, which began operations in July 2019 and has now been operating for over five years. The airline currently serves Lagos, Abuja, and several other Nigerian cities.
- In 2021, neighbouring Cross River State launched its own state-owned airline, Cally Air, with one aircraft. The airline was established as a joint venture between the Cross River State Government and Dana Group under a public-private partnership. In 2023, a Boeing 737 (5N-BYR) was added to the fleet, bringing the total to two, with the state government expressing plans to acquire three additional aircraft in the future.
Now, Enugu State has joined the fray with Enugu Air, whose operations are scheduled to begin on Monday, July 7. As of May, the state had confirmed the availability of three aircraft, according to the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Obi Ozor.
Earlier in 2024, the Ebonyi State Government, through its Commissioner for Aviation, Dr. Ngozi Obichukwu, unveiled plans to launch a state-owned airline inspired by Akwa Ibom’s Ibom Air model.
The state announced intentions to procure four aircraft to kick-start the airline, with private investors expected to contribute three more. However, no further update has been provided on the status of this initiative.