Nigeria airline carrier formally called  Virgin Nigeria have ended the 5 years technical agreement between him and Virgin Atlantic airline, the agreement which lead to the name Virgin Nigeria have seizes to existence. The national carrier have rebrand to a new name called Nigerian Eagle Airline. The adoption of the new name, was unveiled at a world press conference by the chief executive officer of the airline, Captain Dapo Olumide and his management team.

The chief executive officer of the airline, while making the announcement for new name, took time off to explain what it took his management team to come up with the new idea. The announcement of the new brand name, coupled with the technical partnership the national carrier entered into with Ethiopian Airlines a month ago, finally brought to an end the romance it had with the British carrier as its core technical partner of the airline.

Captain Olumide said the management chose the new name based on the airline’s determination to make the airline true African airline. Despite the new brand, the airline chief, however, said “the status quo remains as it affects the airline shares with the former British airline core technical partner (Sir Richard Branson) , Virgin Atlantic, still retaining its 49 per cent shares while the remaining 51 per cent still belongs to the Nigerian investors.” he also said that Virgin Atlantic is free to do whatever it want with its shares in the airline, the genuine agreement the airline have under the former name with the federal government through the former technical partner remains.
Captain Olumide who tagged the adoption of the new name as ‘The Birth of an airline said:” He who dares wins. We are trying to create a brand not just to change name, airlines around the world have their names and logo and it is reasonable to be African. From today, the name of Virgin Nigeria seizes as we now have Nigerian Eagle Airline. We are creating a brand that has never been done.” Captain Olumide however attributed the dropping of the airline’s former name and logo to the need for it to stand on its own and start carrying the Nigeria flag and logo. It will be recalled that the adoption of the airline’s former name and composition of its shareholders generated serious criticisms on the excuse that it did not represent a true Nigerian carrier.

The airline had sought the assistance of the most profitable airline in Africa-Ethiopian Airlines, after Virgin Atlantic Airways stopped technical assistance to the airline. The agreement will allow Ethiopian Airline to service Boeing aircraft in the fleet of the Nigerian carrier, training of pilots, cabin crew and aircraft engineers, with a training network and capabilities.