ValueJet enters agreement to manage, operate Cally Air’s CRJ 1000 jets

ValueJet, a growing private Nigerian carrier, has entered into a sub-lease and operational services agreement with Cally Air (the Cross River State–owned airline) under which ValueJet will manage and operate two Bombardier CRJ1000 regional jets on behalf of Cally Air.

Under the sub-lease, ValueJet will be responsible for the day-to-day operating functions for the two CRJ1000s.

It is understood that the leases are formally held by ValueJet, which will operate under ValueJet’s Air Operator Certificate (AOC).

The move is intended to accelerate the utilisation of the newly acquired regional jets and to provide immediate passenger capacity.

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Omololu Oladapo Majekodunmi said, Managing Director of ValueJet said, “We are pleased to partner with Cally Air and Cross River State to bring the two CRJ1000s into commercial service quickly and safely. This arrangement leverages ValueJet’s regional operations experience to expand reliable connectivity for travellers to and from locations within and outside Nigeria.”

Cally Air is a state-owned airline, with the Cross River State Government as the sole owner. It initially operated in partnership with a domestic airline but has now gone into a sub-lease operational services deal with ValueJet, which provides operational support.

Cally Air currently utilises a fleet of two Boeing 737-300 aircraft and two CRJ 1000 aircraft.

The airline’s main routes include Calabar, Lagos, and Abuja. It is also exploring the possibility of expanding to other destinations within Nigeria and neighbouring countries.

In July this year, the Cross River State took delivery of the first two leased CRJ1000ERs, marking the type’s return to active service on the African continent.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

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.