United Nigeria Airlines, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the government of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau to establish a national airline for the African country.

The agreement, signed on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at the capital Bissau, 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 on behalf of the Government of Guinea-Bissau by Florentino Mendes Pereira, Minister of Transport, Telecommunications and Digital Economy, and on behalf of United Nigeria Airlines by Obiora Okonkwo, the Executive Chairman of the airline.

Guinea-Bissau, a West African country, has for decades, relied on regional carriers and charter services to link its citizens and businesses to other countries but this new agreement seeks to change that.

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.

United Nigeria Airlines has committed to assigning 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.

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The Government of Guinea-Bissau on its part, has 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.

Bissau’s Osvaldo Vieira International Airport will also receive the infrastructure support necessary to accommodate the new carrier’s operations, including access provisions, ground support, and assistance with customs, immigration, and security compliance. Additionally, the government has committed to investing in the creation of the national company and to establishing mechanisms that protect and incentivise investment through the existing Investment Code and applicable tax frameworks.

United Nigeria Airlines has committed to training qualified Guinean nationals including pilots, cabin crew, and technical maintenance personnel and to employing local staff wherever feasible, in coordination with the government’s employment policies.

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.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.

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