The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has brought to light critical issues in the agreements surrounding Nigeria Air, which were approved by the former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika.
The agreements, reached with the Ethiopian government, would have granted Ethiopian Airlines significant control over Nigeria Air, positioning it as the primary shareholder and giving it considerable influence over Nigeria’s aviation landscape.
Speaking on the matter, Keyamo remarked, “This agreement effectively hands over our national carrier to a foreign entity. Ethiopian Airlines was set to dominate the ownership structure, similar to what they did with Asky Airlines in Togo. However, Nigeria is a much larger and more ambitious nation.”
Keyamo pointed out that this arrangement would have allowed Ethiopian Airlines to monopolize Nigeria’s Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASA) routes, which are crucial for the nation’s aviation growth.
“National carriers are prioritized on BASA routes negotiated with other countries. Allowing foreign control of these routes would mean Nigeria loses the economic benefits tied to them,” he explained.
The minister also expressed concerns that the proposed structure would strip Nigeria Air of its national identity.
“Under the agreement, key positions such as the CEO, financial officer, and director of operations would have been assigned to Ethiopian nationals, leaving little room for Nigerian representation.
That’s not how a true national carrier should function,” he stated.
Furthermore, Keyamo disclosed that the agreements exempted Nigeria Air’s operators from tax obligations and local investments, while placing the financial risks on Nigeria.
“The government would have been required to cover any losses incurred by the airline,” he revealed.
