By Ademola Adekusibe
President of Think Yoruba First, Oladimeji Bolarinwa, has proposed the establishment of a Lagos-backed airline, Eko Airline, urging Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr Obafemi Hamzat to consider the initiative as part of efforts to strengthen the state’s economy and international connections.
In an open proposal titled Why Lagos Needs Its Own Airline: An Open Proposal to Dr Obafemi Hamzat, Bolarinwa argued that Lagos has the population, commercial activity and economic influence to develop an airline capable of connecting the state more directly to regional and international markets.
He cited Singapore Airlines and Emirates as examples of carriers that have helped promote their home cities internationally, arguing that an airline bearing the Eko name could similarly strengthen Lagos’s visibility in global trade, tourism and business.
According to Bolarinwa, Lagos remains Nigeria’s commercial centre and a major aviation market in West Africa, but much of its international air connectivity is provided by foreign carriers. He argued that a locally backed airline could help retain more aviation-related economic activity, create jobs and improve access for traders, tourists and members of the Nigerian diaspora.
Bolarinwa also pointed to the experience of Ibom Air, which is wholly owned by the Akwa Ibom State Government through its investment corporation and operates as an independent commercial enterprise. He said the airline provides an example of how a state-owned aviation investment can be structured, although he argued that Lagos would need a model suited to its own economic scale and needs.
Under his proposal, Eko Airline would operate through a public-private partnership, with Lagos State holding a strategic minority stake while private investors and an experienced aviation partner provide most of the capital and operational expertise. He called for professional management, independent oversight and ring-fenced finances to prevent political interference and reduce the risk of the airline becoming a financial burden on the state.
Bolarinwa suggested that the airline should initially focus on regional destinations such as Accra, Abidjan, Dakar, Lomé, Cotonou, Freetown and Banjul before considering longer-distance routes to cities including London, Houston and Atlanta. He also proposed that, if the business becomes profitable, shares could eventually be listed on the Nigerian Exchange to allow Lagos residents to invest directly in the company.
He said a well-managed airline could create employment for pilots, engineers, cabin crew and other aviation professionals, while supporting tourism, cargo transport and connections with the Nigerian diaspora. He also argued that an Eko-branded carrier could promote Lagos’s music, film, fashion and food industries internationally.
However, Bolarinwa acknowledged that aviation is a capital-intensive and financially risky business, citing aircraft leasing costs, foreign exchange volatility, thin profit margins and Nigeria’s history of airline failures. He said these risks made private-sector participation, commercial discipline and transparent governance essential to the proposal’s viability.
He also recognised that critics could question whether public resources should be committed to an airline when Lagos faces other pressing needs, including housing, transport infrastructure and flooding. He argued that a carefully structured partnership could limit the state’s financial exposure while allowing it to participate in the potential economic benefits.
Bolarinwa urged Hamzat to consider the proposal as Lagos plans further infrastructure development and seeks to strengthen its position as a regional economic hub. He maintained that Eko Airline should be treated not as a prestige project but as a commercial venture whose success would depend on sound planning, professional management and financial sustainability.
The proposal is an advocacy initiative by Bolarinwa and does not represent an announced Lagos State Government plan. Any move to establish the airline would require detailed feasibility studies, investment commitments, regulatory approvals and a clear assessment of its long-term financial risks.