Recent events and documents have indicated that the Federal Government may return to the discussion table with Ethiopian Airlines to resuscitate the botched national carrier project, Nigerian Air in another name.
The crisis that emanated from the Nigeria-Ethiopian Airlines partnership to create a national carrier for Nigeria almost culminated in a diplomatic dispute between both countries, The PUNCH had learnt.
It will be recalled that the Nigeria Air project, initiated by the Muhammadu Buhari-led government in partnership with Ethiopian Airlines, was truncated after industry operators, among others, tagged it a fraud and an attempt to cede Nigeria’s national carrier to Ethiopian Airlines.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo’s reservations about the project also resonated far and wide at the time.
The PUNCH, however, gathered that the minister’s opposition and campaign against the project were perceived as embarrassing by both the Ethiopian government and the airline, causing both countries’ presidents, President Bola Tinubu and former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde, to meet, but details of their discussion were not made public.
Sources who understood the development further told The PUNCH that this made President Tinubu dispatch a fact-finding delegation to Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital city.
Also, a diplomat with an understanding of the project but who doesn’t want his name in print over fear of igniting diplomatic discord in December 2024 told our correspondent that the Nigeria Air project had been discussed at the topmost diplomatic level.
Also, in a letter to express their displeasure, a representative of Ethiopian Airlines, Michael Adebayo, wrote President Tinubu, reporting Keyamo’s hard position concerning the project.
Adebayo raised concern, saying if the minister continues his vocal onslaught against the airline’s project, it may affect the long-standing relationship of both countries.
The letter dated October 15, 2024, titled ‘Ethiopian Airlines Consortium Plea on the Issue of the National Carrier,’ read, “It is normal for different governments to have different approaches to issues, and we do understand that your administration may think differently about the structure of the national carrier project of the previous administration or even the need for it. We have previously stated that we are willing to abide by whatever decision the government takes on the issue.
“We have previously heard many allegations the minister has made against the Nigeria Air project, including calling it a fraud, not a national carrier, and referring to it as an attempt to monopolise the Nigerian aviation industry. In all these allegations, he had not shown any documents to prove such allegations against us as a consortium.”
The letter further stated that a company with 51 per cent owned by Nigerians will attract the same percentage of profit to the country, and also, complying with Nigerian law, foreign companies that show evidence of investment are allowed to repatriate their share of the profits.
The letter further stated that against the popular claim in Nigeria, “We nevera considered using wet leases or foreign pilots in Nigeria. The aircraft were to be Nigerian-registered aircraft on commencement. We had even been allocated Nigerian registration numbers for the initial aircraft by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.”
The diplomatic engagement and exchange of letters might have fuelled Keyamo’s visit to the Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Mesfin Tasew, and other management teams last week.
Ethiopian Airlines, in a post on its X handle, announced Keyamo’s visit to the company but did not mention the essence of his visit, solidifying beliefs of both countries possibly coming back.
The airline stated, “His Excellency Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, accompanied by his delegates, visited Ethiopian Airlines facilities. During the visit, a productive discussion took place with Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO, Mr. Mesfin Tasew, and members of the Ethiopian Airlines Executive Management.”
When contacted, the minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, insisted that he didn’t open a fresh discussion with the airline regarding the national carrier.
In a chat with our correspondent, Keyamo vehemently denied any fresh move toward the resuscitation of the project, “No, sir. Just a courtesy call they requested on the sidelines of the OAU summit in Addis Ababa. Nothing of such was discussed.”
