The Group Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines, Mesfin Tasew, has spoken out about the failed Nigeria Air project, citing political interference as the primary reason for its demise.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Tasew expressed disappointment that the initiative, aimed at establishing a successful national carrier for Nigeria, was undermined by local airlines’ opposition due to political reasons.
The project, launched under the previous Nigerian administration, faced controversy and was eventually halted by the current government.
Tasew confirmed that the project is now closed, and Ethiopian Airlines has no plans to enter the Nigerian market or partner with local airlines.
Tasew emphasized that Ethiopian Airlines’ intention was to support Nigeria by sharing expertise and experience to create a profitable airline.
However, the involvement was perceived as a threat by Nigerian airlines, leading to the proposal’s rejection.
This development follows recent criticism from Nigeria’s aviation minister, Festus Keyamo, who argued that the deal would not benefit Nigeria.
Recall that a Federal High Court in Lagos had also ruled against the sale of Nigerian Air Ltd to Ethiopian Airlines, declaring the proposed establishment of Nigeria Air null and void.
Tasew confirmed, “We had high hopes for establishing a strong national carrier for Nigeria. Unfortunately, it did not succeed after the government change; the project is closed now.”
He added, “We tried to support Nigeria by leveraging our expertise and experience to create a profitable airline. However, the Nigerian airlines perceived our involvement as a threat to their business. Since the proposal was rejected, we have no intention of pursuing it further.”
