Gombe State in northeastern Nigeria has approved NGN5 billion naira (USD3.5 million) as its equity contribution to acquire two aircraft for a proposed regional airline, to be called North-East Air Shuttle, joining five other states in a NGN30 billion (USD21 million) funding plan for a venture first hatched in 2020 to boost connectivity in the region.

The approval was announced by the state’s Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Muhammad Gambo Magaji, at a news conference following Gombe's 51st state executive council meeting on December 31, according to multiple news reports in The Nation, Business Day, The Guardian, The Daily Trust, and other newspapers.

According to Magaji, the other five states which each have committed NGN5 billion to the project are Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Taraba, and Yobe.

He said the funds would be released promptly to meet agreed deadlines, adding that the airline is intended to improve intra-regional connectivity, link northeastern Nigeria more reliably with other parts of the country, and support economic development. The initiative is expected to operate routes within and beyond the sub-region.

Details of the aircraft to be acquired and regulatory timeframes were not disclosed. On inquiry from ch-aviation, a spokesman for the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said the regulator had not yet received any licence applications from North-East Air Shuttle.

As for the plans of Ebonyi State in southeastern Nigeria to launch a state-owned carrier, Ebonyi Air, three aircraft have been procured and are expected to arrive in January 2026, Governor Francis Nwifuru announced in his 2026 New Year address, posted on social media platforms.

Nwifuru framed the airline as an economic intervention rather than a prestige project, arguing that improved air connectivity would attract investment, boost tourism, and simplify travel for business and professional users. He linked the initiative to his administration’s 'People’s Charter of Needs', saying a reliable airline would lower travel costs for residents and create jobs.

Ebonyi would be the fifth Nigerian state to launch its own airline, following the examples of Akwa Ibom’s Ibom Air (QI, Uyo); Cross River State’s Cally Air (Calabar); Enugu State's Enugu Air; and Bayelsa State's Air Bayelsa.