Ethiopian Airlines has said that it never had the intention of setting up an airline in Nigeria, but was invited to do so by the Federal Government. Ethiopian Airlines has also vowed not to cancel the Nigeria Air project as it continues to receive assurances from the Federal Government.
The airline also said that the Federal Government claimed that the country lacked dependable airlines in the domestic and international markets and wanted it to help it to set up one in Nigeria. Speaking with some select journalists in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Mr. Mesfin Tasew, Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Ethiopian Airlines, said that its pedigree made the Federal Government to invite it to set up a national carrier for Nigeria.
Based on its agreement with the Federal Government, Ethiopian Airlines had planned partnering with the government for the establishment of Nigeria Air. The airline claimed it owned 49 percent stake in the airline, while the Federal Government and other private investors from Nigeria owned 51 percent stake. Tasew explained that because of its engagements, it at first resisted the invitation, but later agreed due to its long relationship with Nigeria.
The East African airline GCEO emphasised that while the carrier and the Nigerian government were preparing the shareholding, it received a message that some companies and airlines in Nigeria were defaming it and the government and had gone to court to obtain an order stopping the establishment of Nigeria Air.
This, he said, prompted Ethiopian Airlines to want to withdraw, but the Nigerian government insisted that it should continue the process of establishing the national carrier for the country. Tasew explained that until now the airline had not decided whether to continue the process to establish Nigeria Air, but had received an assurance from the Federal Government that it would continue with the groundwork until the court vacates the order and it addressed some concerns.
The airline insisted that it was not cancelling the project, maintaining that Nigeria Air was already established before it was invited to partner with the government for the project. He insisted that Nigerians would benefit hugely from the national carrier if eventually established, stressing that the government said Nigeria lacked dependable airlines in the domestic and international markets.
This, he said, had led to foreign airlines charging high fares on the Nigerian route and exploiting Nigerian travellers. In order to reverse this, Tasew said the government wanted strong, dependable airline with capacity, remarking that if the national carrier was established, it would help existing airlines to improve their operational standard to compete effectively in the market to the benefit of air travellers in the country.
He said: “Ethiopian Airlines didn’t have any intention or plan to setup an airline in Nigeria. In May, of 2022, when I took my current responsibility (as Group CEO), a request came from the Nigerian government asking ET (Ethiopian Airlines) to participate in a bid and help the Nigerian government to setup a Nigerian flag carrier. It came in writing. “Initially, we didn’t want to go into that. We said we have other initiatives in other countries and we were busy. But, the Nigerian government insisted that Ethiopian Airlines is an African airline, it has to help the Nigerian government in setting up the national carrier. So, we had to respect them.
“We serve the Nigerian public and government by flying to four cities in Nigeria; we couldn’t say no, we cannot come and help you. So, we had to submit proposal, we had to respect the Nigerian government. And we thought that the Nigerian government had choices, ET being one; because they had also requested other airlines in the Middle East, Europe to participate in the bid.”
Tasew explained further that when the government requested for Ethiopian Airlines aircraft painted on the Nigeria Air logo for the inspection of Nigerians, it agreed, saying that the government said it was to facilitate the progress of the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) for the impending carrier. He also dismissed the notion that the intention of the airline was to kill Nigerian airlines, but rather to setup a reliable airline for the country.
Source: Independent
