There’s Nothing Nigerian About Nigeria Air – Airline Operators Blow Hot

The move by the Nigerian government to float a national carrier has come under questioning.

The move is currently facing scrutiny as airline operators and aviation stakeholders queried the shareholding structure of the proposed Nigeria Air.

At a webinar on Thursday, spokesman for Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, declared, “We have not seen anything Nigerian in this Nigeria Air.”

He spoke at the ongoing webinar on Nigeria Air: The Solution to Nigeria’s Aviation Problem” facilitated by Avaero Capital Partners.

The Federal Government had selected Ethiopian Airlines as the equity partner in the proposed Nigeria Air.

ET would hold 49 per cent stake while the federal government holds 5 percent and the remaining 46 per cent goes to Nigerian investors.

President Muhammadu Buhari two days ago said the national carrier would commence operation in December, 2022.

Okonkwo, who is the Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines, queried the genuiness and transparency of the whole process of establishing the national carrier.

He said the President was ill-advised on the feasibility of the national carrier, saying the national carrier cannot survive with the proposed shareholding structure.

Okonkwo also declared that it is shameful to be talking about national carrier in the contemporary global economy.

According to him, what the industry needs is support for local operators and a stoppage to persistent demonisation of the domestic airlines by the people in government.

The Chief Executive Officer of TopBrass Airline, Capt. Roland Iyayi, warned that the fate that befell the defunct Virgin Nigeria set up in partnership with Virgin Atlantic of United Kingdom could befall the Nigeria Air.

According to him, it doesn’t make any strategic sense to enter into a partnership with Ethiopian Airlines. He said it would be zero value addition to domestic market in Nigeria, aside from killing the domestic market.