Domestic carrier ValueJet has signed a sub-lease and operational services agreement with Cally Air, the Cross River State–owned airline, to manage and operate two newly acquired Bombardier CRJ1000 regional jets.
Under the arrangement, the aircraft will be operated under ValueJet’s Air Operator Certificate (AOC), with the airline handling all day-to-day flight and operational functions. The Cross River State Government recently took delivery of the CRJ1000ERs, marking the type’s return to active service on the African continent.
ValueJet’s Managing Director, Capt. Omololu Oladapo Majekodunmi, described the partnership as a strategic step to boost regional connectivity. “We are pleased to partner with Cally Air and Cross River State to bring the two CRJ1000s into commercial service quickly and safely. This arrangement leverages ValueJet’s regional operations experience to expand reliable connectivity for travellers to and from locations within and outside Nigeria,” he said.
Cally Air, solely owned by the Cross River State Government, previously operated in partnership with a domestic airline before moving to the current sub-lease model with ValueJet. The airline’s fleet now includes two Boeing 737-300 aircraft and two CRJ1000s, serving key routes such as Calabar, Lagos, and Abuja, with plans to expand to more destinations within Nigeria and neighbouring countries.
