► NIGERIA: FirstNation Airways resumes operations with Lagos - Abuja flights.

Nigerian domestic carrier, First Nation Airways (FRN), has resumed operations with its maiden flight between Lagos and Abuja on September 30. Flights are onboard the airline's fleet of two A319s, leased from the International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC).

■ NIGERIA: NCAA releases list of all 26 carriers licenced to operate in Nigeria in bid to curb illegal operators.

As part of efforts to clamp down on illegal charter airline operations in the country, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has released a list of licensed scheduled commercial and charter airlines on its registry with only 26 operators having so far been cleared for operations.

► NIGERIA: (Pic) Azman Airlines first B737-300 rolls out the paintshop in Norwich.

Azman Air, the Kano-based startup run by entrepreneur, AbdulManafi Yunusa, has seen its first B737-300 (MSN 28570 | 5N-?), formerly with bmi baby, roll out the paint shop in Norwich in the United Kingdom.

► NIGERIA: Med-View Airline granted regional, international traffic rights; eyes Dubai by year end.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has reportedly granted Kano-based Med-View Airline (VL) regional and international traffic rights with flights to Dubai to launch before year end, the airline's managing director, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, has announced.

■ NIGERIA: Nigeria One due to be presented in early October; operations now due by year end.

Nigeria One, the planned new Nigerian national carrier, will officially be unveiled to the Nigerian public on the country's 53rd Independence Day on October 1.  The carrier's core will reportedly be formed from various local airlines who are indebted to the Nigerian government via its Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) with Aero (AJ) and the now defunct Air Nigeria (VK) listed among them.

► NIGERIA: Ghana's Africa World Airlines eyes Nigeria ops from October; claims rights granted.

In yet another development related to Ghanaian carrier, Africa World Airlines (AW), Chief Operating Officer, Mr Apiigy Afene, has revealed that the airline has at long last been granted rights to serve Nigeria by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. Flights are scheduled to commence in October he said.

► NIGERIA: Discovery Air sets sights on two B737-300s; ops due soon?

Lagos-based startup, Discovery Air, is reportedly in the process of acquiring two 737s as part of efforts to launch operations. However, as of this posting, it is unclear as to whether or not the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has granted the carrier its Air Operators Certificate.

► NIGERIA: Chanchangi Airlines takes delivery of a South African B737-500 on wet-lease.

Kaduna-based Chanchangi Airlines (5B) has reportedly taken delivery of a B737-500 (MSN ? | 5N-BQZ) on wet-lease from an unnamed South African leaser. The aircraft reportedly arrived in Abuja on Saturday August 10.

► TOGO: Ethiopian Airlines to launch its Lomé cargo hub this week as more planned pax routes to Asia unveiled.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) are set to launch Lomé, Togo as their second cargo hub outside Addis Ababa with effect from August 15. In addition to a connection to the carrier's Ethiopian primary hub, Lomé will also serve Europe via Liege, Belgium with a twice weekly MD-11F Freighter. Lomé is already the hub or its West African passenger subsidiary, ASKY Airlines (KP).

► NIGERIA: Med-View Airlines leasing a 747-300 for Hajj/Umrah flights; 767s a possibility.

Nigeria's Kano-based Med-View Airline (VL) has leased an B747-300 (MSN 23032 | TF-AME) from Icelandic ACMI specialists, Air Atlanta Icelandic (CC), with plans to add two B767-300s for use on Hajj and Umrah flights this year.

■ NIGERIA: Jet A1 fuel shortage hits the country; Abuja, Lagos worst affected.

For the last two days, Nigeria has been hit by a scarcity of Jet A1 aviation fuel, triggering numerous flight delays in some of the nation's airports, with Abuja and Lagos the worst hit. Some international operators have been forced to add sectors to Accra, Ghana to circumvent the shortage whose cause is not yet known.

► NIGERIA: Ethiopian Airlines boosts Abuja to daily from late August.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) will, from 27 August 2013, increase the frequency of its Addis Ababa – Abuja flights where overall service will increase from 5x weekly to daily. The new flight operates on Mondays and Thursdays on-board a Boeing 777-200LR.

■ NIGERIA: Kenya, Nigeria sign revised BASA; Kenya Airways eyes Abuja flights soon.

Kenya Airways (KQ) will "soon" commence direct flights to the Nigerian capital, Abuja, Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced. Mr Kenyatta made the remarks during a recently ended official visit to West Africa in which various trade and bilateral agreements were signed, among them, a revised Air Services Agreement. Speaking during a meeting with Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, at State House Abuja, he pointed out that tourism was a potentially untapped market in bilateral relations between the two countries.

■ CHINA: Nigeria finalizes $500mln deal with CCECC for construction of four new international air terminals.

With a high-powered state visit to China led by Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, about to come to a close, Chinese and Nigerian government officials have finalized several loan and Memoranda of Understanding agreements valued at over USD1.1billion with various Chinese institutions and contractors.  Among them is the Chinese construction conglomerate, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), who have now been tasked with the construction of four new international airport terminals to be completed within 20 months.

► NIGERIA: Kabo Air eyes domestic, international service resumption.

Fresh from the delivery of its first B747-400, Nigerian Hajj specialist, Kabo Air (N9), has now announced plans to enter the domestic Nigerian market with additional plans to go regional.

■ NIGERIA: Government to move ahead with planned Aerotropolises in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt.

The Nigerian Government will move ahead with plans to develop aerotropolises (an urban plan in which the layout, infrastructure, and economy is centred around an airport) in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt. Currently the four cities' airports handle the bulk of Nigeria's passenger & cargo traffic.

► NIGERIA: Dana Air to resume Uyo, Calabar in the next few weeks.

Nigerian domestic carrier, Dana Air (9J), will re-launch flight services to Uyo and Calabar "in the coming weeks", Tony Usidamen, head of corporate communications at the airline, has said. Currently, Dana Air serves Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt.

► NIGERIA: Ghana's Africa World Airlines confident of gaining Lagos, Abuja rights despite delays.

Africa World Airlines (AW) has joined the growing list of Ghanaian carriers eager to break into the lucrative Nigerian market but which has thus far encountered various bureaucratic obstacles.

► RWANDA: Rwandair still eyes 17+ aircraft by 2015 with plans to further boost African coverage this year.

On the occasion of his airline taking delivery of its second B737-700 (MSN 30726 | 9XR-WK) on Friday 28 June, RwandAir's (WB) maverick CEO, John Mirenge, says he still plans to increase the fleet to at least seventeen aircraft by 2015 with plans to add "several African, Asian and Latin American countries" to its network.

■ NIGERIA: Abuja finalizes plans for new carrier "Nigeria One" as Aer Lingus refutes claims of leasing deal with government.

The Nigerian Government , through its Aviation Ministry, has now completed plans to float a new national carrier to be named Nigeria One (not National One as previously reported).