Guinea-Bissau signs MoU with United Nigeria to launch national carrier

Nigeria’s leading carrier, United Nigeria Airlines, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau to establish a national airline for the African country. The agreement 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 […]

Nigeria’s leading carrier, United Nigeria Airlines, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau to establish a national airline for the African country.
The agreement 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 recently 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 at the capital Bissau.
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 a joint venture entity that will operate as Guinea-Bissau’s national airline, with United Nigeria Airlines providing its operational expertise, aircraft, and management.

The statement disclosed that United Nigeria Airlines would assign at least two aircraft to identified routes within 18 months of the agreement coming into force.

The airline will also provide an executive jet on a commercial basis for the use of the President and Government of Guinea-Bissau.

United Nigeria Airlines has also pledged to invest in or acquire a stake in the carrier as part of the joint venture structure, ensuring that the new airline has a firm legal and corporate footing within Guinea-Bissau.

In addition, the Government of Guinea-Bissau 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 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 MoU explicitly states 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 statement added.