- The new carrier was initially unveiled in 2018 at Farnborough International Airshow
- Controversy surrounded its launch in May 2023, as it happened just before the end of the former Aviation Minister’s term
Recent reports suggest that Nigeria Air, the new national carrier, is set to begin its flight operations in October this year.
The information was revealed by Mesfin Tasew, the Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines, during an interview with Bloomberg TV.
The airline was initially introduced in 2018 at the Farnborough International Airshow in London. However, in May 2023, Hadi Sirika, the former Aviation Minister of Nigeria, launched the carrier just two days before the end of his term, causing widespread controversy and uproar across the country.
However, Tasew during the interview said: “The airline will begin operation with two wide-bodied planes and six narrow-bodied aircraft.
“We are eager to see the airline start flying and connecting the local market to the international market.
“Ethiopian Airlines will manage the operation. It is a proven model and the objective is to enable Nigeria to have a flag carrier.
“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.
“We owns a 49 percent stake in the airline, the Nigerian government 5 percent together while other institutional investors own the rest.”
Mr Tasew expressed optimism based on the size of the Nigerian economy and the potential inherent in it.
Meanwhile, a breakdown of the ownership of the airlines shows that, Ethiopian Airlines own 49 percent, the Federal government five percent, 46 percent by Nigerian private investors (SAHCO, MRS and other institutional investors).