Arik Air, a private firm, has grown into a major international air carrier in West Africa over the last few years, with direct flights to Johannesburg, Trinidad & Tobago, Madrid, London and New York. The airline has more than 20 aircraft in its fleet and ordered at least 18 new planes. It also provided more flights domestically than any other carrier in Nigeria, a nation of more than 160 million people. By halting its domestic flights, Arik Air left only three airlines flying in the country that were unable to meet with the nation’s demand.

However, financial concerns still hover around the aviation industry. Nigeria’s Central Bank has ordered banks to stop giving loans to both Arik Air and its competitor Aero Contractors Co. of Nigeria Ltd. over debts in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press

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