Edo State has taken a major step towards entering Nigeria’s aviation industry following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the state government and two Chinese aviation companies for the proposed establishment of a state-owned airline, Edo Air.
The agreement, signed on Wednesday at the Government House, Benin, by Governor Monday Okpebholo, China Express Airline Co. Ltd and KDN Aero, is expected to pave the way for technical and operational collaboration towards the launch of the proposed carrier.
The development marks a fresh attempt by the state government to expand its economic frontiers through the aviation sector, with the governor expressing confidence that Edo Air would commence operations soon.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, Okpebholo described the agreement as the beginning of a long-term business relationship, assuring the Chinese partners of the state’s readiness to work with them.
“We have signed the MoU, and this is the first part of it. We will continue to build on it. A presentation was made, which was very beautiful and wonderful. We have seen your capability, and we are ready to do business with you,” he said.
The governor added, “By the grace of God, Edo Air will be in the airspace very soon. So, we are in partnership with you.”
Giving an insight into the process leading to the agreement, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Umar Musa Ikhilor, said the MoU followed a fact-finding mission to China by a seven-man delegation on September 14, 2026.
Ikhilor, who led the delegation, said the visit was approved by the governor to identify potential technical and operational partners capable of supporting the establishment and management of the proposed airline.
Other members of the delegation included the Head of Service, Dr Anthony Okungbowa; the Accountant-General, Julius Anelu; and the Chief Aviation Consultant to the state government, Captain Nuhu Musa, alongside other government officials and aviation experts.
According to him, the delegation visited China Express Airline and the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), one of China’s major aircraft manufacturers, to assess their technical capacity and explore possible areas of cooperation.
He disclosed that China Express Airline made a particularly strong impression on the delegation during its visit to the company’s headquarters, where members inspected its flight-monitoring and operational facilities.
Ikhilor said the delegation was shown a situation room equipped with a giant screen tracking flights across China, with 192 flights already recorded by 10 a.m. on the day of the inspection.
He said the operational facilities, coupled with discussions with the airline’s management, strengthened the delegation’s confidence in China Express as a suitable technical and operational partner for the proposed Edo Air.
The SSG expressed optimism that the agreement and subsequent engagements would translate into concrete steps towards realising the state’s ambition of establishing an indigenous airline.
At the ceremony, the President of China Express Airline, Shansheng Li, presented a model aircraft to the governor, while the Managing Director of KDN Aero, Tianzhi Chen, spoke on behalf of the Chinese delegation and made a presentation on the airline’s operational capacity.
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