, ▁was ▁a ▁Niger ian ▁air line . ▁The ▁company ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁after ▁the ▁dissol ution ▁of ▁West ▁African ▁Air ways ▁Corporation ▁( WA AC ). ▁It ▁held ▁the ▁name ▁W A AC ▁Niger ia ▁until ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁re brand ed ▁to ▁the ▁name ▁it ▁had ▁until ▁it ▁ceased ▁operations ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁The ▁government ▁of ▁Niger ia ▁owned ▁a ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁air line ▁( 5 1 %) ▁until ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁when ▁it ▁boost ed ▁its ▁participation ▁in ▁the ▁company ▁to ▁ 1 0 0 % ▁and ▁made ▁it ▁the ▁country ' s ▁flag ▁car rier . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁dissol ution , ▁the ▁air line ' s ▁headquarters ▁were ▁at ▁Air ways ▁House ▁in ▁Ab u ja . ▁Oper ations ▁were ▁concentr ated ▁at ▁M urt ala ▁Muham med ▁International ▁Airport ▁and ▁served ▁both ▁domestic ▁and ▁international ▁destin ations ▁mainly ▁concentr ated ▁in ▁West ▁Africa ; ▁the ▁network ▁also ▁had ▁points ▁in ▁Europe , ▁North ▁America ▁and ▁Sa udi ▁Arab ia . ▁The ▁air line ▁was ▁managed ▁by ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁foreign ▁companies , ▁including ▁British ▁Air ways , ▁the ▁Dutch ▁company ▁K LM ▁and ▁South ▁African ▁Air ways . ▁ ▁Niger ia ▁Air ways ▁had ▁its ▁he yd ay ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁just ▁before ▁the ▁departure ▁of ▁a ▁K LM ▁team ▁that ▁had ▁been ▁h ired ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁air line