THE Federal Government through the Ministry of Aviation has revealed that local and international flights will commence on the national carrier, Nigeria Air, soon.
The minister of aviation, Hadi Sirika, made this revelation at the ongoing National Aviation Stakeholders Forum 2023 in Abuja today.
The Minister also said that the project is 98 percent completed.
“I want to assure Nigerians that our national carrier will fly before May 29 this year,” he said.
Recall that Sirika, on September 23, 2022 announced that Ethiopian airline emerged as a core investor in the national carrier following a bid.
He added that Ethiopian Airline won the bid with a consortium and would have 95 percent controlling shares in the airline.
According to Sirika, the federal government will only have 5 percent equity in the carrier project.
“Negotiation meeting with the Ethiopian Airlines Group Consortium and the Federal Government of Nigeria ongoing,” Sirika said in his latest announcement.
However, a federal high court in Lagos, on November 15, prohibited the government from selling the shares of Nigeria Air to Ethiopian Airlines.
The temporary injunction was given in a suit marked FHC/L/CS/2159/2022 and filed by registered trustees of the Airline Operators in Nigeria (AON), Azman Air Services Limited, Air Peace Limited, Max Air Limited, United Nigeria Airline Company Limited, and Topbrass Aviation Limited.
Meanwhile, the defendants in the suit include Nigeria Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Hadi Sirika, and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami.
