▁a ▁le ased ▁Bo eng ▁ 7 4 7 - 2 0 0 ▁that ▁wore ▁a ▁Niger ia ▁Air ways ▁li very ▁and ▁was ▁operated ▁on ▁the ▁Lag os – Lond on ▁He ath row ▁route ▁with ▁mixed ▁English ▁and ▁Niger ian ▁cre ws . ▁By ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁the ▁Niger ian ▁government ▁decided ▁the ▁car rier ▁would ▁be ▁priv at ised ▁by ▁s elling ▁ 4 0 % ▁and ▁ 2 0 % ▁to ▁foreign ▁and ▁local ▁invest ors , ▁respectively , ▁and ▁keeping ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁shares . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁the ▁International ▁Fin ance ▁Corporation ▁( IF C ) ▁was ▁commission ed ▁by ▁the ▁Niger ian ▁government ▁to ▁assist ▁in ▁the ▁process ▁of ▁rest ruct uring ▁and ▁priv at isation ▁of ▁the ▁air line . ▁Among ▁three ▁options , ▁one ▁of ▁them ▁was ▁to ▁partner ▁with ▁a ▁large ▁European ▁air line ; ▁Air ▁France , ▁British ▁Air ways , ▁German - based ▁L uf th ans a , ▁Swiss air ▁and ▁the ▁British ▁car rier ▁Virgin ▁were ▁all ▁considered . ▁Another ▁alternative ▁was ▁to ▁liquid ate ▁the ▁car rier . ▁ ▁At ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁employees ▁was ▁ 4 , 5 1 6 . ▁At ▁this ▁time , ▁an ▁Air bus ▁A 3 1 0 - 2 0 0 , ▁three ▁Bo eing ▁ 7 3 7 - 2 0 0 ▁Advanced , ▁one ▁Bo eing ▁ 7 4 7 - 2