Four years after the former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, unveiled the proposed national carrier, Nigeria Air, at the Farnborough International Airshow in London, it was finally unveiled last week. However, the unveiling was met with controversy, outrage, and ridicule. Despite a Federal High Court ruling ordering the government to halt the establishment of Nigeria Air, an aircraft with the inscription “Nigeria Air” flew into the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja on May 26. It was later discovered that the aircraft belonged to Ethiopian Airlines (ET) and had been presented as Nigeria Air to meet the deadline set by Sirika.
The launch was meant to mark the introduction of the long-awaited national carrier, which had received substantial funding over the past seven years. However, the use of an aircraft belonging to a foreign airline raised concerns about the legitimacy of the project. Critics described it as a monumental fraud and questioned the involvement of Ethiopian Airlines, which would have a 49% stake in Nigeria Air, effectively making it the largest shareholder.
The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) took legal action against Sirika and the Federal Government, seeking to stop the national carrier deal and withdraw the Air Transport License issued to Nigeria Air. The AON and other industry experts argued that having a competitor as a major shareholder in the national carrier would harm Nigerian airlines and potentially lead to the domination of the African market by Ethiopian Airlines.
Furthermore, there were unanswered questions about the transparency and details of the agreement between the Nigerian government and Ethiopian Airlines. The lack of disclosure raised concerns about the legality of the aircraft’s unveiling and inaugural flight, as Nigeria Air had not obtained an Air Operators Certificate (AOC) from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) as required. The disregard for proper procedures could have negative consequences for Nigeria’s international aviation reputation and could potentially lead to blacklisting by safety agencies such as the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
Despite criticism and legal challenges, Sirika defended the choice of Ethiopian Airlines as the preferred bidder, stating that Nigerian airlines had declined to invest in Nigeria Air. However, industry stakeholders expressed disappointment and confusion over the lack of transparency and the conflicting nature of the project, with an aircraft bearing the Nigeria Air branding but registered under Ethiopian Airlines.
The unveiling of Nigeria Air has been marred by controversy, with questions raised about the involvement of Ethiopian Airlines, the transparency of the deal, and the disregard for legal procedures. Critics argue that the project is a charade and lacks the Nigerian identity it claims to represent. The future of Nigeria Air remains uncertain, and its viability as a national carrier is in doubt.
