By Valentine Amanze, Online Editor
The Nigerian government has cushioned the effect of the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19) on the aviation industry with a bailout fund of N5 billion for for airline operators and other business owners in the sector.
The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, diclosed this on Monday, when he appeared at the Senate for a public hearing in respect of the repeal and the reenactment of the laws establishing the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
The minister explained that N4 billion had been approved as a bailout for airline operators and an additional N1 billion for other business owners in the aviation sector.
Sirika said that the government’s decision to offer the bailout was in recognition of the pivotal role of the aviation sector to the Nigerian economy.