New airline begins operations soon, set to roll out crew uniform

A proposed low-cost airline, Green Africa, is set to commence operations soon as it is on the verge of acquiring its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC).

The AOC issued by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) authorizes an airline to commence flight operations.

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It was learnt that the Green Africa Airways is on the final leg of the process of acquiring the AOC preparatory to launching into the domestic space.

Green Africa, owned by Babawande Afolabi, has a leadership team which includes two well-experienced leaders in the global aviation industry; Neil Mills – President and Chief Operating Officer and Kiran Koteshwar – Chief Financial Officer.

The airline in a statement said it would soon be unveiling its crew uniform tagged “The Runway” which will be made public in due course.

Daily Trust reports that the airline in 2018 took the industry by storm with its order of 100 Boeing 737 Max but as at that time, it was yet to commence the process of acquiring the AOC which encompasses five rigorous stages.

But gradually, the airline is said to be fulfilling the requirements which would enable it join the league of nine scheduled domestic airlines.

Findings by Daily Trust indicate that no fewer than 25 AOC applicants are at various stages of processing with the NCAA while Green Africa has virtually completed the process.

In December 2020, the airline sent its pilots on a type-rating training. The pilots are Folu Oladipo (Chief Pilot), Victor Yem, John Ayerume, Stephen Okereke, Ladi Ogun, and Israel Eloho.

While Green Africa is yet to provide detailed information about its launch and routes networks, the public continues to speculate ahead of its launch which the company says is on track for this year.

The company continues to scale up the manpower required for the start of operations and some of the newly recruited cabin crew members (Adefolabi Ogunnaike, Rosemary Uagbor, Afolabi Modupe, Juliana Aku, Aderounmu Yetunde, Okere Ijeoma, Chieke Immaculate, and Abimbola Segun) were also recently sent for type-rating training.

According to a source at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) who is well aware of the plans of the new carrier, he mentioned that “the airline is serious, they mean business and could start soon, as they are close to acquiring the Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC)”.

Green Africa, ahead of the scheduled commencement of operations, has given out 24 (Twenty-Four) free tickets during the December 2020 promotion tagged “Tis the season to gIFT” which was featured on its social media pages.

In October 2020, Green Africa formed a strategic partnership with First City Monument Bank (FCMB), which yielded $31 million in a combination of standby letter of credit and rolling working capital.

Green Africa is anchored by a group of senior industry leaders led by Tom Horton, former Chairman & CEO of American Airlines, Wale Adeosun, Founder & CEO of Kuramo Capital, William Shaw, CEO of InterJet, Virasb Vahidi, former CCO of American Airlines and Gbenga Oyebode, Founder & Chairman of Aluko & Oyebode.