Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — Mesfin Tasew, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of Ethiopian Airlines, has criticized the political factors that he believes influenced the establishment of Nigeria Air. Tasew, leading Africa’s largest airline, expressed disappointment that despite Ethiopian Airlines’ efforts to support the Nigerian government in creating a successful national carrier, the initiative was marred by political opposition and local airline resistance.
The controversy surrounding Nigeria Air intensified when, on August 5, 2024, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Lagos ruled that the process involving Ethiopian Airlines’ partnership was in violation of several laws, including the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020 and the Public Procurement Act. This ruling led to the annulment of the bidding process for Nigeria Air.
Tasew revealed in an interview with Bloomberg that Ethiopian Airlines’ attempt to partner with Nigeria for the establishment of Nigeria Air was halted due to political obstacles. He noted that despite Ethiopian Airlines’ intention to leverage its expertise to help Nigeria build a profitable national carrier, local airlines perceived the initiative as a threat to their businesses.
“The project to help Nigeria set up an airline has been closed,” Tasew said. “We don’t have a current plan to go to Nigeria as it stands. We don’t intend to partner with any of the Nigerian airlines to date because it has been politicized.”
He emphasized that Ethiopian Airlines’ objective was to aid Nigeria in creating a robust national carrier, not to compete unfairly with local airlines. However, due to the strong opposition and the politicization of the project, Ethiopian Airlines has decided to withdraw from the initiative.
The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) had previously criticized the Nigeria Air project, alleging it was a scheme to undermine local airlines and favor Ethiopian Airlines. AON President Alhaji Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina described the initiative as a ploy to dominate Nigeria’s aviation market without contributing to the local economy.
As of now, Ethiopian Airlines has no plans to re-engage with Nigeria’s aviation sector, reflecting the broader challenges and political dynamics affecting international partnerships in the country’s airline
