Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, the new Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development has denied there is a mandate to revive the botched Nigeria Air deal with Ethiopian airline.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) recalls Dr. Kana had during his inaugural statement on Monday at his hand-over ceremony made reference to the revival of the National Carrier Project.
However, today, the new Permanent Secretary has come forth to say he never received any instruction for the revival of the botched Nigeria Air deal with Ethiopian airline.
“Since my inaugural statement on Monday at the hand-over ceremony, I have been inundated with inquiries about my reference to the revival of the National Carrier Project.
“For the avoidance of doubt I never said that there is a mandate to revive the botched Nigeria Air deal with Ethiopian airline. I received no such instruction.
“I was only referring to the general vision of the Administration to still consider a National Carrier Project if it is favourable to the country and under the guidance and directives of Mr. President and the Honourable Minister of Aviation.
“I hope this clarifies all the ambiguities surrounding my earlier statement on this issue,” Kana said.
TNG reports the Nigerian government unveiled the Nigeria Air national carrier project at the Farnborough Air Show in England on 18 July 2018 under Hadi Sirika as Minister of Aviation with Muhammadu Buhari as president.
The proposed airline was expected to gulp $8.8 million in preliminary cost and $300 million as take-off cost. Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and Compilation of Budgetary Allocations show that the federal government spent N85.42 billion on transaction advisers, working capital and consultancy bills for Nigeria Air between 2016 and 2023.
Despite the huge amount spent on the national carrier, the airline failed to secure Air Operating Certificate, an approval granted by a Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority to an aircraft operator to allow it to use aircraft for commercial flight operations. It also failed secure aircraft for operations.
After the unveiling of Nigeria Air on May 27, 2023, reports emerged that the minister had chartered an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft for the launch. However, Nigeria’s former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika says contrary to speculations, only N3 billion was spent on the National carrier project also known as Nigeria Air, adding he never spent N85 billion.
The FG proposed the new national carrier, having been without a national carrier for over two decades after Nigeria Airways stopped operating in 2003 and was liquidated in 2004. The government decided to liquidate the airline due to its declining performance and debts.
After several promises to give Nigerians a national carrier, former Nigerian Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika officially unveiled Nigeria Air in Abuja on May 27, 2023, just 48 hours before the end of his tenure.
The minister had previously disclosed that Nigeria Air would begin operation before the swearing-in of a new administration on May 29, 2023. However, the airline did not start operations in April 2022 as planned.
The national carrier, which was first unveiled at the Farnborough International Airshow in London in 2018, was officially unveiled and expected to operate under a shared ownership arrangement between the Federal Government, shareholders and a partnering airline, Ethiopian Airlines.
The plan was for the Ethiopian airline to manage its operations under a management contract, aiming to connect the local Nigerian market with international markets and destinations.
The now-defunct Nigeria Airways was established in August 1958, after the dissolution of the West African Airways Corporation.
It finally ceased operations in 2003 owing to military incursion, mismanagement, corruption and bad debts and was liquidated in 2004.
In its heydays, Nigeria Airways had over 30 aircraft. Nigeria Airways was later succeeded by Virgin Nigeria, and the ground facilities were taken over by Arik Air.
