Osita Chidoka, a former Corps Marshall of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), politician and public policy analyst, has expressed admiration for United Nigeria’s recent acquisition of the Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft. Chidoka shared his experience of flying on the aircraft from Chinua Achebe Airport, describing the flight as smooth despite the dull weather.
According to Chidoka, the Embraer ERJ 145 is a reliable and efficient aircraft, well-suited for Nigeria’s regional aviation needs. He highlighted the aircraft’s impressive safety record, noting that the Embraer Regional Jet family has recorded zero fatalities in its operational history. Chidoka cited data from Turbli, a web-based aviation analytics platform, which shows that Embraer has an exceptional safety record, with only 0.01 fatal accidents every thousand years of service time.
*”Enough of Alibi — the culture of excuses. Let us move to Agency — the culture of doing,”* Chidoka emphasized, urging the Nigerian government to build capacity for aircraft maintenance and manufacturing. He pointed to Brazil as an example of a country that has successfully developed its aviation industry, saying *”Nigeria can”* achieve similar success.
Chidoka praised United Nigeria’s decision to adopt Embraer regional jets, citing the economics of regional aviation as a key factor. *”The economics of regional aviation make perfect sense for Nigeria — shorter routes, lower operating costs, and world-class safety standards,”* he said.
By advocating for local aircraft maintenance and manufacturing, Chidoka’s comments highlight the need for Nigeria to develop its aviation industry and reduce reliance on foreign expertise.
In a social media post, Osita Chidoka @osita_chidoka – wrote
Arrived Lagos from Chinua Achebe Airport aboard United Nigeria’s EMBRAER ERJ 145.
It was a smooth flight despite the dull weather.
Some friends — and many travellers — often express worry about flying “small aircrafts.” My advice: nothing to worry about.
The EMBRAER ERJ 145 belongs to the family of Regional Jets — aircraft with fewer than 100 seats — like Bombardier’s CRJ series. These jets are designed for short-haul efficiency, quick turnaround, and reliability.
More importantly, the Embraer Regional Jet family (ERJ 130, 140, 145) has recorded zero fatalities in its operational history. According to Turbli, a web-based aviation analytics platform that tracks turbulence and safety data:
> “Comparison between the different manufacturers shows that Embraer is the clear winner — just 0.01 fatal accidents every thousand years of service time.”
That’s an extraordinary record.
@flyunitedng
United Nigeria Airline made a wise and strategic choice in adopting Embraer regional jets. The economics of regional aviation make perfect sense for Nigeria — shorter routes, lower operating costs, and world-class safety standards.
As a nation, we must now take the next step. Nigeria should build capacity for aircraft maintenance and manufacturing.
It is not rocket science — Brazil is doing it. Nigeria can.
Enough of Alibi — the culture of excuses.
Let us move to Agency — the culture of doing.
Osita Chidoka