Nigeria Air was fraudulent, remain suspended – Festus Keyamo

The minister of aviation and aerospace development, Festus Keyamo says the Nigeria Air project remains suspended.

In 2023, the ministry of aviation under Hadi Sirika, former minister, unveiled Nigeria Air — 3 days before the end of former President Buhari’s administration. The development had elicited concerns among stakeholders nationwide over the ownership arrangement which gave Ethiopian Airlines a 49% equity stake.

The F.G had a 5% equity, while a consortium of three Nigerian investors had 46%. In August 2023, Keyamo announced that the national carrier project was suspended till further notice.

Providing updates at the ministerial press briefing in Abuja, Keyamo said: “It remains suspended. It was never Air Nigeria. It was not Air Nigeria. That’s the truth. It was only painted Air Nigeria. It was Ethiopian Airlines trying to flag our flag,” he said. If it is so, why not allow our local people to fly our flag. Why bring a foreigner to fly our flag? So nobody should dispute that it was Air Nigeria.