Nigerian startup airline Green Africa Airways conducted its first domestic commercial flight on August 12, 2021, two years later than planned.
Green Africa Airways’ ATR 72-600 aircraft, registered as 5N-GAD, departed from Lagos Murtala Mohammed Airport (LOS) at 6 AM local time and touched down at Abuja Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (ABW) over an hour later, marking its first-ever commercial flight.
“We are on a mission to connect more people in Nigeria and Africa to their dreams and opportunities,” said Babawande Afolabi, founder and CEO of Green Africa. “It’s what kept us going despite the odds over the last several years and it’s what will continue to sustain this franchise even after we are all gone.”
Green Africa initially planned to commence commercial operations in 2019. However, the carrier faced delays in obtaining an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC), which they secured on August 9, 2021.
Currently, Green Africa operates a fleet of three ATR 72-600 aircraft, as per Planespotters.net data. The low cost carrier plans to be the largest ATR 72 operator in Africa with plans to deploy between 12 and 15 ATR 72s across Nigeria between late 2021 and early 2022.
