Pioneer Airlines (Nigeria) (Bayelsa) secured its air operator’s certificate (AOC) for unscheduled flights from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority on May 13 and is now applying for approval to launch scheduled passenger operations.
In a statement, the NCAA said the current certification clears the way for Pioneer Airlines to begin non-scheduled passenger flights.
Speaking after receiving the AOC, Pioneer Airlines' managing director Henry Ungbuku told the newspaper This Day that the carrier initially applied for a non-scheduled licence because it operated only two aircraft, below the previous threshold of six aircraft for scheduled services. However, revised rules now allow the airline to seek approval for scheduled operations using its existing fleet.
Ungbuku said Pioneer Airlines leases the aircraft from the Bayelsa State government and would pay monthly rent once flight operations begin. Pioneer started out as a virtual carrier in December 2025 using 7Star Global Airlines (SGL, Lagos) as technical partner.
The Bayelsa State government has acquired two ATR72-600 turboprops for Pioneer Airlines to generate traffic for the newly opened Bayelsa International Airport.
As ch-aviation previously reported, 5N-SDD (msn 1199) was previously operated by FlyGabon/Afrijet Business Service as TR-LJN. It was first delivered to Aviateca Guatemala in 2014.
The other ATR72, 5N-HSD (msn 1185), is currently at Ben Slimane for pre-delivery maintenance. It was previously operated by now-defunct Silver Airways as N706SV, and was first delivered to avianca Honduras, also in 2014.
Pioneer Airlines initially plans to operate daily services from Bayelsa to Lagos and Abuja before expanding to other Niger Delta destinations, including Port Harcourt Awolowo, Warri, Uyo, and Calabar.
Pioneer Airlines was registered in September 2022. According to the company’s website, it plans to develop regional services linking southern Nigerian and Niger Delta communities, including routes aimed at university students.
