The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has approved Pioneer Airlines for unscheduled flight operations.

Director-General, Chris Ona Najomo, who presented the certificate in Abuja on Wednesday, congratulated the airline while praising its high safety standards, stressing that maintaining those standards is essential as NCAA continues to monitor its operations.

Speaking after receiving the certificate, Managing Director Henry Ungbuku said the airline secured certification in just over four months due to its operational readiness.

He explained that the airline currently operates two aircraft owned by the Bayelsa State Government, noting that previous regulations required a minimum of six aircraft for scheduled operations.

According to him, the airline initially applied for unscheduled services—such as charter and group bookings—because it had only two aircraft at the time.

However, he revealed that during the certification process, the authority revised the requirement, reducing the minimum number of aircraft from six to two.

Ungbuku added that Pioneer Airlines will apply for scheduled operations from Thursday, since it now meets the updated requirement.

He further stated that the airline leases its aircraft from the Bayelsa State Government and will pay monthly lease rentals once operations commence.