The new national carrier, Nigeria Air, will begin operations by October this year, according to the management of the Ethiopian Airlines, the direct manager of the carrier.
Mesfin Tasew, the CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, which owns a 49% stake in the airline revealed in an interview with Bloomberg TV, Friday, that the firm was eager to see “Nigeria Air” start flying local and international routes.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari-led Nigerian government had unveiled a Boeing 737-800 series aircraft as the “Nigerian Air” in May 2023 which actually belongs to Ethiopia Airlines.
The plane unveiled as Nigerian Air was over 10 years old and belongs to Ethiopian Air.
According to information obtained from Plane Spotters, a platform which takes an inventory of aircraft, “The Registration Number is ET-APL and the Mode is S Q4005C. The Serial Number: 40965/4075. The First flight was as Ethiopian Airlines aircraft. Then it became Malawi Airlines on 16th February 2014. It was then acquired again by Ethiopian Airlines in 2015 and has been operating under Ethiopian Air since then.
“Then on 26th May 2023, it has Nigeria Air colours without changing ownership. It was first spotted in South Africa before it flew to Nigeria today.”
It would be recalled that the aircraft took off from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at 9:55am and landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 12:43pm the following day.
According to Bloomberg, Ethiopian Airlines in 2022 won the bid to handle operations of the proposed Nigeria Air in controversial circumstances after local players complained the company was handed an advantage during the bidding process.
According to the CEO, Tasew, on Friday, the airline will begin operations with two wide-bodied planes and six narrow-bodied aircraft. He said, “We are eager to see the airline start flying and connecting the local market to the international market.”
He also added that Ethiopian Airlines using its proven model, the airline has an objective to enable Nigeria to have a flag carrier.
He said, “The prime objective is to enable Nigeria to have an air carrier. Ethiopian Airlines will have a management contract. Effectively, Ethiopian Airlines will manage the airline to be successful.”
Tasew also commented on the difficult business environment in Nigeria but expressed optimism based on the size of the Nigerian economy and the potential inherent in it.
Nigeria Air has been enmeshed in controversies after former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika launched it less than three days before the end of the Buhari administration.
Questions were raised about who owns the aircraft used for the launch before Sirika confirmed it belongs to Ethiopian Airlines.
