Obasanjo Accuses Ex-Minister of Mismanaging Nigeria Air Project
Former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo has criticised the failed Nigeria Air project, a joint venture between the government of Muhammadu Buhari and an Ethiopian Airlines-led consortium. Obasanjo accused former aviation minister Hadi Sirika of mismanaging NGN85 billion (USD55.2 million) allocated for the project.
In his new book, “Nigeria: Past and Future,” Obasanjo claimed that Sirika chartered an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft, which was painted with Nigeria Air livery, and presented it as the national carrier before leaving office. He argued that Sirika deceived the Nigerian public and wasted taxpayer money. The aircraft, ET-APL (msn 40965), was described as a ferry flight for Nigeria Air’s first Boeing 737-800, which was to be used for an air operator’s certificate (AOC) audit. The aircraft arrived in Abuja on March 26, 2023, and returned to Addis Ababa on May 27.
The event sparked a media storm, especially on the eve of the May 29 inauguration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Nigeria’s private airlines, represented by the Airline Organisation of Nigeria (AON), contested the Nigeria Air project in the Abuja High Court, preventing the Buhari government from finalising the airline’s certification.
The initiative ultimately collapsed with the change in government, with Tinubu’s administration dismissing it as a sellout to Ethiopian Airlines. Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Sirika and three others for contract fraud involving NGN2.8 billion (USD1.8 million). However, reports suggest that the new government may still have plans for a national airline under a different name.
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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com