ECS Group, a general sales and service agency based in Paris, has taken a controlling interest in Niger Air Cargo, a new cargo airline in West Africa.
The airline, started in association with a private investor in Niger, will operate a weekly MD-11 or DC-10 freighter service from Liège to Niamey, the capital and largest city in Niger. Each flight will offer up to 85 tons of cargo capacity.
ECS is acting as the exclusive global sales agent for Niger Air Cargo, using its network of offices in 51 locations in 31 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas and Asia. The company said every station will sell the service and deliver cargo to Liège for consolidation.
ECS expects a range of cargoes to be generated for the route, including communications equipment, apparel, healthcare products, fresh food and other perishables and relief goods.
Niger Air Cargo will operate its own warehouse in Niamey. Working with ECS, the carrier aims to establish Niamey as a hub for distribution to major cities in West Africa. This will be supported by the location of a freighter in Niamey in the near future, ECS said.