By Bayero Ade
Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has unveiled documents that expose significant shortcomings in the Nigeria Air agreements approved by former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika.
According to Politics Nigeria, the agreements, made with the Ethiopian government, would have granted Ethiopian Airlines a controlling stake in Nigeria Air, thereby placing the country’s aviation sector under foreign dominance.
Criticising the arrangement, Keyamo remarked, “The agreement essentially hands over our national carrier to a foreign government. Ethiopian Airlines was set to become the dominant shareholder, similar to what they achieved with Asky Airlines in Togo. But Nigeria is not Togo—we are a larger, more ambitious nation.”
He explained that under the deal, Ethiopian Airlines would have exploited Nigeria’s Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASA) routes to its advantage. “National carriers have first rights to BASA routes negotiated globally. If a foreign entity controls those routes, the profits would bypass Nigeria entirely,” Keyamo cautioned.
The minister also highlighted that the deal undermined Nigeria Air’s national identity. “The CEO and other top management positions, including the financial officer and director of operations, were reserved for Ethiopians. This arrangement does not reflect the essence of a national carrier,” he noted.
Additionally, Keyamo revealed that the agreements exempted Nigeria Air’s operators from paying taxes to the Nigerian government or committing to substantial local investments. Meanwhile, Nigeria would have been obligated to shoulder any financial losses incurred by the airline.
Leave a Reply