Chinedu Eze
Nigeria’s fast growing carrier, United Nigeria Airlines, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the government of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau to establish a national airline for the West African nation named Air Bissau.
Statement from the airline said the agreement, signed at the capital Bissau, marks the beginning of what both parties have described as a pivotal partnership that would improve Guinea-Bissau’s connectivity with the rest of the continent and the world.
The MoU was signed on behalf of the Government of Guinea-Bissau by Dr. Florentino Mendes Pereira, Minister of Transport, Telecommunications and Digital Economy, and on behalf of United Nigeria Airlines by Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, the Executive Chairman of the airline.
Guinea-Bissau has for decades, relied on regional carriers and charter services to link its citizens and businesses to other countries but this new agreement seeks to change that.
Under the terms of the MoU, the two parties will explore a comprehensive cooperation framework aimed at establishing a fully operational national airline, with Osvaldo Vieira International Airport in Bissau serving as the operational base and hub for initial flight routes.
Part of the agreement in the MoU is the creation of the joint venture entity that will operate as Guinea-Bissau’s national airline, with United Nigeria Airlines providing majority financial investments, operational expertise, aircraft, and management.
The airline will also provide and operat executive jet for the use of the President and Government of Guinea-Bissau .
The Government of Guinea-Bissau on its part, has agreed to facilitate the registration and licensing of the new national carrier in line with domestic laws, and to streamline authorisation processes through both the Civil Aviation Authority of Guinea-Bissau and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nigeria.
The government has pledged to designate the newly formed airline as the official national carrier of Guinea-Bissau, granting it full rights over all existing Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) entitlements. This designation, the statement said, would give the airline significant leverage in securing route rights and authorisations to regional and international destinations which is an important commercial and diplomatic asset.
Bissau’s Osvaldo Vieira International Airport will also receive the infrastructure support necessary to accommodate the new carrier’s operations, including access provisions, ground support, and assistance with customs, immigration, and security compliance. Additionally, the government has committed to investing in the creation of the national company and to establishing mechanisms that protect and incentivise investment through the existing Investment Code and applicable tax frameworks.
In addition,United Nigeria Airlines has committed to training qualified Guinean nationals including pilots, cabin crew, and technical maintenance personnel and to employing local staff wherever feasible, in coordination with the government’s employment policies.
The MoU explicitly stated that for the purposes of safety, reliability, and efficiency, the overall management, operational control, and general direction of the new airline will rest with the management team of United Nigeria Airlines.
The two parties have also committed to a range of mutual safeguards. These include full liability and hull insurance coverage for all flight operations, annual independent safety and maintenance audits to ensure ongoing compliance with international standards, and asset protection mechanisms to shield United Nigeria Airlines’ investments in the event of adverse changes to Guinea-Bissau’s policy or regulatory environment.
“The MoU is effective immediately from the date of signing and will remain valid for 18 months, or until a substantive joint venture agreement is concluded,” the airline said.
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