Barely 10 months after Virgin Nigeria changed its name to Nigeria Eagle Airlines, the airline has again changed its name to Air Nigeria. This new name brings to two the number of times the airline has changed its name since it started operations in July 2005 till date.

The new name was made known to aviation journalists by the Chairman of the airline, Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim, at a media conference in Lagos. According to the chairman, the new name was effected sequel to the board resolution on May 14, 2010, adding that it (the new name) has already been approved by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and that it was registered with a certificate number RC501975.

He said the full name of the company is Air Nigeria Development Limited (ANDL). "Air Nigeria is borne out of the need to have a national carrier that reflects the Nigerian identity and safeguard the integrity of the Nigerian people," he said.

The name, he added, became necessary in order to make the airline fully indigenous, noting that everything about the airline would reflect the Nigerian cultures with integrity show casing that Nigeria, as a nation, can do it. The chairman also disclosed that the first branded aircraft in the new mane would arrive Nigeria before the end of next week from France and that other air planes in the airline’s fleet will follow suit.

He disclosed that by October 1, 2010, a minimum of 10 aircrafts would be launched at a time in Abuja, assuring the staff that there would be no job lost.According to him, "As we increase the number of our fleet, job security is guaranteed as much people will be required to run the airline."

On the diagnose review of the company, Ibrahim said the diagnose review shows an enterprise in financial distress leading to operational delays but with a first class technical services. Ibrahim assured that in a matter of days financial distress would have been over by 95 per cent, just as he also disclosed that the turn around which he said will last for six months will be limited to financial areas and not engineering department which the chairman described as first class.

On his meeting with Richard Branson, the Chairman of Virgin Atlantic, Ibrahim, said it was fruitful. Daily Independent recalls that the former Managing Director airlines, Capt Dapo Olumide, on September 17, 2009, announced the changed the name and logo of the airline from Virgin Nigeria to Nigeria Eagle Airlines, a situation that pitched the airline against one of the commercial banks who the airline was indebted to. The fear of the bank Daily Independent learnt was that the airline may not want to service its debt, as it may agued that it was Virgin Nigeria that owed the bank and not Nigeria Eagle Airlines.