Edo moves to establish airline, signs deal with Chinese firm

Edo Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has taken another step towards establishing a state-owned airline following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China Express Airline Co. Ltd and KDN Aero.

The agreement was signed on Wednesday at the Government House in Benin City, Edo State during a meeting attended by representatives of the Chinese aviation companies.

The Governor signed the agreement after receiving a presentation on the operational capacity and services of the proposed technical partners.

Okpebholo expressed satisfaction with the partnership, saying the agreement marked the beginning of a working relationship that would be developed through further engagements.

He also expressed optimism that the proposed Edo Air would begin operations soon, adding that his administration was prepared to work with the Chinese companies to make the project a reality.

Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilor, explained that the agreement followed a fact-finding visit to China by a seven-member delegation on September 14, 2026.

He said the Governor approved the trip to enable the State Government to identify suitable technical and operational partners for the proposed airline.

Ikhilor led the delegation, which included the Head of Service, Dr Anthony Okungbowa; the Accountant-General, Julius Anelu; and the Chief Aviation Consultant to the Edo State Government, Captain Nuhu Musa. Other government officials and aviation professionals were also part of the team.

During the visit, the delegation inspected the facilities of China Express Airline and the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), one of China's major aircraft manufacturers.

According to the SSG, the team assessed the organisations' operations and explored possible areas of cooperation that could support the establishment of Edo Air.

He disclosed that China Express Airline made a strong impression on the delegation during the inspection of its headquarters and flight monitoring facilities.

The team was taken through the airline's flight monitoring centre, where officials observed how flights were tracked and monitored across China.

Ikhilor explained that a large screen at the facility displayed aircraft movements across the country, with 192 flights already recorded by 10 a.m. on the day of the visit.

He said the airline's facilities, operational structure and discussions with its management convinced the delegation that China Express had the capacity to serve as a technical and operational partner for the proposed Edo-owned carrier.

The SSG expressed hope that the newly signed agreement and subsequent discussions would lead to practical steps towards establishing the airline.

At the signing ceremony, the President of China Express Airline, Shansheng Li, presented Okpebholo with a model aircraft as a symbol of the proposed partnership.

The Managing Director of KDN Aero, Tianzhi Chen, also addressed the gathering on behalf of the Chinese delegation, providing further details about the airline's operations and capabilities.

The proposed airline is part of the Okpebholo administration's plan to establish an aviation company owned by Edo State.