Guinea-Bissau partners United Nigeria to establish national airline

By Abubakar Yunusa

United Nigeria Airlines has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the government of Guinea-Bissau to establish a national airline for the West African country.

According to a statement from United Nigeria, the proposed carrier, to be known as Air Bissau, will be developed through a partnership between the airline and the Guinea-Bissau government.

The agreement was signed in Bissau, the country’s capital, by Florentino Mendes Pereira, Guinea-Bissau’s minister of transport, telecommunications and digital economy, and Obiora Okonkwo, executive chairman of United Nigeria Airlines.

The parties described the agreement as a significant step towards improving Guinea-Bissau’s connectivity with the rest of Africa and the world.

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 operate executive jet for the use of the president and government of Guinea-Bissau.

“The government of Guinea-Bissau on its part, has 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,” United Nigeria said.

“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 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.”

The government further committed to providing the infrastructure support required for the airline’s operations at Osvaldo Vieira International Airport, including ground handling support and assistance with customs, immigration and security processes.

The government of Guinea-Bissau also pledged to invest in the establishment of the national company and provide investment protection and incentives under existing investment and tax frameworks.

United Nigeria Airlines, in turn, committed to training qualified Guinean nationals including pilots, cabin crew and technical maintenance personnel, while prioritising local employment where feasible.

According to the statement, the MoU provides that the overall management, operational control and general direction of Air Bissau will be handled by United Nigeria Airlines to ensure safety, reliability and efficiency.

“The two parties have also committed to a range of mutual safeguards,” the airline said.

“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.”