Early Years
The airline came into being on 23 August 1958 under the name West African Airways Corporation Nigeria Limited (WAAC Nigeria), otherwise known as Nigerian Airways WAAC, to succeed the folded West African Airways Corporation (WAAC); the title “WAAC” was retained due to the prestige this company had previously earned. Initially, the carrier was a tripartite entity in which the Nigerian government was the major shareholder (51%), and Elder Dempster Lines and BOAC held the balance (32⅔ and 16⅓, respectively). WAAC Nigeria inherited the assets and liabilities of WAAC, having a fleet comprised by Doves, Herons, and DC-3s.
Operations started on 1 October 1958, with a BOAC Stratocruiser operated on behalf of the new airline linking London with Lagos. The same day, WAAC Nigeria signed an agreement with BOAC to charter Stratocruisers and Britannias for serving long-haul flights between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
In early 1961, Nigeria became the only owner of the company. On 22 January 1971, the company was rebranded as Nigeria Airways.
In late 1972, a contract for management assistance was signed with TWA, with the American carrier providing specialists in different managerial, commercial, and financial fields for five years. When the agreement concluded, a similar contract was signed with KLM in September 1979 (1979-09), this time for a period of two years.
Read more about this topic: Nigeria Airways, History
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