"Brand New Vs. Used Fleet": Akwa Ibom’s Airbus Milestone Triggers Public Scrutiny Over Used Egypt Airline in Enugu’s Aviation

A sharp public debate has erupted across regional political and media circles following Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno’s official delegation visit to the Airbus Production Facility in Mirabel, Canada. The delegation conducted a pre-delivery inspection of Ibom Air’s third brand-new Airbus A220-300 aircraft, marking another milestone under the state's long-term fleet modernization strategy.

​The development has drawn fierce comparison and criticism from civic commentators directed at the Enugu State Government under Governor Peter Mbah. Public analysts have highlighted the stark contrast between Akwa Ibom’s direct procurement of factory-fresh Airbus equipment and Enugu State's acquisition model for Enugu Air, which relies on secondary-market Embraer E170 and E190 regional jets procured through leasing operators such as CIAF Leasing.

​Critics argue that while Akwa Ibom State continues to build a flagship commercial airline with modern fuel-efficient aircraft, Enugu State's strategy of acquiring older, used passenger jets exposes state finances to higher long-term maintenance costs and operational downtime. Concerns have also been raised over aircraft utilization, with commentators pointing to reports of grounded regional jets while state funds are pledged toward expanding the fleet to 20 aircraft.

​Supporters of the Enugu State administration maintain that partnering with charter operators like Xejet to deploy secondary-market regional jets provides an immediate, cost-effective framework to establish Akanu Ibom International Airport as a regional commercial hub without the multi-year manufacturing wait times required for factory-new aircraft. However, as Akwa Ibom prepares to receive its latest A220-300 ahead of the peak travel season, pressure remains on the Mbah administration to justify its aviation procurement model to Enugu taxpayers.