Why it is on record
Obasanjo-era attempt to relaunch a national-flag-carrier under public-private partnership; collapsed under management disputes between Virgin Atlantic and Lagos investors. Jimoh Ibrahim's takeover and the September 2012 abrupt cessation closed the experiment.
Record held
Last Nigerian carrier to operate a London-Heathrow slot inherited from Nigeria Airways.
Deep dive
Virgin Nigeria Airways, launched 2005 as a partnership of Virgin Atlantic (UK) and Nigerian investors, was intended to be the de-facto successor to Nigeria Airways. After repeated political and regulatory disputes — including the loss of the original Lagos–London (Heathrow) slot in 2008 — Virgin Atlantic exited in 2010. The company was rebranded Air Nigeria under Jimoh Ibrahim, and ceased operations in 2012. The episode remains the principal cautionary tale of foreign-branded national-carrier reconstruction.