The Edo State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China Express Airline and KDN Aero in the direction of establishing its proposed state-owned airline, Edo Air.
Governor Monday Okpebholo introduced the settlement in an X put up on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, describing it as a big step in the direction of establishing the carrier.
The proposed airline is predicted to create jobs, increase tourism, entice funding, develop enterprise alternatives and enhance entry to air journey for residents of the state.
Edo signs MoU for state-owned airline
Okpebholo mentioned the proposed airline was meant to assist financial actions and create alternatives for residents and companies, moderately than merely set up one other state-owned carrier.
- “I am excited to announce that today we signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China Express Airline and KDN Aero, marking a significant step towards establishing Edo Air, our proposed state-owned airline,” the governor’s put up learn partially.
He mentioned the airline would create employment alternatives, increase tourism and entice investments into the state whereas increasing enterprise actions.
The governor added that Edo Air would make air journey extra accessible to residents, strengthen connectivity and open new financial alternatives for the state. He additionally expressed optimism in regards to the challenge, declaring that Edo Air was coming.
However, the announcement didn’t disclose the proposed airline’s launch date, fleet dimension, route community, possession construction or monetary commitments by the companions.
How Edo chosen China Express Airline
The settlement adopted a fact-finding go to to China by a seven-member Edo State delegation on September 14, 2026, to establish potential technical and operational companions for the proposed airline, in response to a report.
- The delegation was led by Secretary to the State Government Umar Musa Ikhilor and included the Head of Service, Dr Anthony Okungbowa; Accountant-General Julius Anelu; and the state’s Chief Aviation Consultant, Captain Nuhu Musa.
- During the go to, officers inspected China Express Airline and the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), the nation’s main plane producer, to evaluate their capabilities and discover attainable cooperation.
Ikhilor mentioned China Express made a stronger impression on the delegation, which toured its flight-monitoring operations and noticed a system monitoring flights throughout China, with 192 flights recorded by 10 a.m. on the day of the inspection.
The report mentioned Okpebholo described the airline’s operational capability as spectacular and indicated that the proposed carrier may start operations quickly. At the signing, Li introduced the governor with a mannequin plane, whereas KDN Aero Managing Director Tianzhi Chen introduced the corporate’s operations and capabilities.
Other Nigerian states already function airways
Edo’s proposed airline follows comparable initiatives by different state governments looking for to determine or assist business air providers.
- Akwa Ibom launched Ibom Air in 2019. The airline connects Uyo with home locations together with Lagos, Abuja, Calabar and Enugu, in addition to Accra, Ghana, on its regional route.
- Cross River State followed in 2021 with Cally Air, established by means of a partnership with non-public aviation operators. The airline, whose flight operations are managed by ValueJet, at the moment operates three plane and is pursuing a phased fleet growth anticipated to proceed into early 2027, together with the deliberate induction of one other CRJ plane.
- Enugu unveiled Enugu Air in July 2025 and commenced business flight operations as a part of its broader transportation growth plans.
- Ebonyi State introduced plans in August 2024 to determine an airline, initially proposing to accumulate 4 plane and entice non-public buyers to offer three extra.
Edo Air’s proposed partnership with China Express Airline and KDN Aero provides the state to a rising checklist of Nigerian states pursuing aviation tasks. Its eventual operations will rely upon the following phases of the settlement and the event of the airline’s operational plans.
