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Virgin Nigeria Airways said it was changing its name to Air Nigeria Development Limited to make it fully indigenous.

The airline, which
is now to be called Air Nigeria, was in September last year renamed
Nigerian Eagle Airlines by the then chief executive officer, Dapo
Olumide.

Jimoh Ibrahim,
group managing director of the carrier said at the airlines head office
in Lagos that this recent name change was effected sequel to the
resolution of the board on May 14, and that the name has been approved
by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and registered with a
certificate number RC501975.

Image of the nation

In April, Mr. Ibrahim had hinted at a name change saying that the carrier’s new name will reflect the image of the nation.

“If I buy any
foreign company, I change the name to reflect Nigeria even if Virgin
gives me their name for free of charge I will change the name.”

It would be
recalled that Virgin Nigeria, which was launched amid great pomp in
2005, last year changed its name to Nigerian Eagle Airlines after
cutting ties with its founder – Virgin Atlantic Limited.

Prior to the name
change on September 17, last year, British billionaire and chairman of
Virgin Atlantic disclosed that the founding company of Virgin Nigeria
was looking forward to selling its 49 per cent stake in the carrier,
for which it paid about $25m in 2005.

Meanwhile, Mr.
Ibrahim said that the first branded aircraft in the new name will
arrive Nigeria before the end of next week from France, while the
remaining aircraft follow shortly after.

Assuring customers
that the on-going turnaround will be concluded within a short time, the
carrier’s managing director disclosed that by October 1, a minimum of
ten aircraft will be launched at a time by the company.

“We are expecting ten aircraft before October to boost our operations and increase our destinations,” he said.

Mr. Ibrahim further
assured his workforce that no employee will be laid off as a result of
the on-going turnaround, stressing that since the nation’s flag carrier
was acquired in April, no worker has been fired.

“If anyone is incompetent, we will make him competent,” he said.