Mixed feelings trail purported choice of Ethiopian airlines as technical partner for Nigeria Air
As conflicting reports continue to trail the proposed new national carrier, Nigeria Air, indications have emerged that the federal government may have finally pitched its tent with the most profitable African airline, Ethiopian Airlines as the technical partner in the packaging of the new airline.
According to information circulating across the sector at the weekend, the new deal will be made public very soon as officials and representatives of the federal government had gone ahead to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia to tidy up the loose ends in the projects with the Ethiopian airline’s management.
Under the agreement, the African airline is expected to provide equipment, technical personnel and management for the new national airline.
The latest development came after the President Muhamadu Buhari-led government had at inception promised to float another national airline for Nigerians, two decades after the controversial liquidation of Nigeria Airways.
Though several efforts with a huge amount of money spent on earlier attempts to midwife the new airline had failed, the hope of getting another national carrier under the present government was rekindled this year with the appointment of a renowned pilot and administrator, Captain Dapo Olumide as the interim managing director and his team members to package the new airline.
According to the government, the majority shares of 49 per cent of the new carrier project will be owned by strategic equity partners, another 46 per cent by Nigerians while the Federal Government will own five per cent of the shares.
The style adopted in packaging the project has continued to generate criticisms with key players accusing the government of withholding the required information about the new airline from Nigerians.
However, the news that the government had picked Ethiopian Airlines as the technical partner of the new national carrier has started generating mixed feelings with some praising government for picking a fellow African airline as a partner in the project.
Some of those who supported the move attributed their reasons to a good example so far portrayed by the African airline as witnessed in its ability to compete favourably with foreign airlines across the globe while other airlines from the continent continue to perform below expectations.
Other key players have opposed the choice of Ethiopian Airlines on the premise that its role as a competitor to the new national carrier on the Nigeria/Addis Ababa route will not yield good dividends.
According to the key players, selecting a fellow competitor who operates in many destinations across Nigeria may be used to further exploit the country.
