The Edo State Government has taken a major step towards establishing its proposed state-owned airline, Edo Air, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China Express Airline Co. Ltd and KDN Aero to advance plans for the airline’s operations.
The agreement, signed by Governor Monday Okpebholo at Government House, Benin City, on Wednesday, marks a significant development in the administration’s ambition to establish an indigenous airline that could strengthen the state’s aviation profile, improve connectivity and open up new economic opportunities.
The governor, who expressed satisfaction with the proposed partnership after a presentation by the Chinese aviation team, said the airline would commence operations very soon, adding that the agreement represented the beginning of a broader business relationship between the state and its technical partners.
“We have signed the MoU, and this is the first part of it. We will continue to build on it. We have seen your capability, and we are ready to do business with you. By the grace of God, Edo Air will be in the airspace very soon,” Okpebholo said.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Umar Musa Ikhilor, said the agreement followed a fact-finding mission to China undertaken by a seven-man delegation on September 14, 2026, after receiving approval from the governor to identify credible technical and operational partners for the proposed airline.
Ikhilor, who led the delegation, said the team 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, alongside other government officials and aviation experts.
He explained that the delegation visited China Express Airline and the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), a major Chinese aircraft manufacturer, to assess their technical capacity, operational infrastructure and potential areas of collaboration.
According to the SSG, China Express Airline made a particularly strong impression on the delegation during its visit to the company’s headquarters, where members inspected its flight-monitoring and operational control facilities.
He said the delegation was shown a situation room equipped with a giant screen monitoring flights across China, with 192 flights already logged by 10 a.m. on the day of the visit, describing the facility as an indication of the airline’s operational capacity.
Ikhilor said the facilities inspected and engagements with the company’s management strengthened the delegation’s confidence in China Express as a potential technical and operational partner for Edo Air. He expressed optimism that the MoU and subsequent engagements would translate into concrete steps towards actualising the project.
At the signing ceremony, the President of China Express Airline, Shansheng Li, presented a model aircraft to the governor, while Tianzhi Chen, Managing Director of KDN Aero, spoke on behalf of the Chinese delegation and provided further insights into the airline’s operations and technical capabilities.
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