Nigeria: lawmakers denounce launch of ‘Nigeria Air’ by Buhari gov’t as “fraud”

Nigeria’s dreams for a domestic airline crash-land, as the lawmakers slammed the launch of the country’s new flag carrier Nigeria Air just days before the end of the administration, declaring it a “fraud”.

Nigeria’s House of Representatives dubbed the purported 26 May launch of the Nigeria Air as “fraudulent,” while local media reported that major stakeholders in the deal – the federal government and Ethiopian Airlines – had denied knowledge of the launch. Nigerian lawmakers have thus essentially confirmed SaharaReporters’ story that the former President Muhammadu Buhari-led government deceived Nigerians by unveiling a Boeing 737-800 aircraft belonging to Ethiopian Airlines as a “Nigerian Air” plane.

At an investigative hearing with major stakeholders, the Senate Committee on Aviation recommended that the ministry of aviation and its partners in the project “immediately suspend flight operations.”

SaharaReporters last month revealed that the plane unveiled by Buhari as Nigerian Air a few days before he left office, was over 10 years old and belonged to Ethiopian Airlines. Members of the House Committee on Aviation were reportedly shocked when the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) disclosed that the aircraft bearing Nigerian colors was on a chartered flight to Nigeria, while other stakeholders who confirmed the disclosure noted that a chartered flight could be painted in any color and with any inscriptions.

After many failed attempts to launch a profitable airline, the Nigerian government enlisted Africa’s biggest airline, Ethiopian Airlines, to help its new national carrier take off. With a 49% stake, Ethiopian Airlines is a majority shareholder in the Nigeria Air project, two Nigerian companies hold a 46% stake while the remaining 5% stake is held by the federal government.