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By Chinelo Obogo
Ethiopian Airlines has formally pulled the plug on the controversial Nigeria Air national carrier project, declaring the initiative dead and shifting focus to expanding its independent commercial presence in Nigeria.
The Group Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines, Mesfin Tasew, announced the decision on Wednesday during a press briefing at the ongoing International Air Transport Association (IATA) Focus Africa Conference in Addis Ababa, ending years of uncertainty surrounding the stalled venture.
“I would like to start by saying to the public that the national carrier project no longer exists. That has been abandoned, and it is safe to say so,” Tasew said.
His comments mark the clearest confirmation yet that Ethiopian Airlines has exited the proposed partnership arrangement that once positioned it as a strategic investor in Nigeria Air.
The Nigeria Air project was launched by the administration of former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika as a flagship plan to restore a national airline for Africa’s largest economy. It was structured as a public-private partnership, with Ethiopian Airlines expected to hold a significant stake and provide technical backing.
However, the project quickly became mired in controversy, court battles, governance concerns and political backlash. Critics questioned the ownership model, transparency of the bidding process and the rationale for giving a foreign airline a dominant role in Nigeria’s proposed flag carrier.
The unveiling of a Nigeria Air-branded aircraft in Abuja shortly before the end of the previous administration further intensified criticism, with opponents describing the event as premature and politically motivated.
With Tasew’s latest declaration, the project now appears effectively buried.
Despite abandoning the national carrier plan, Ethiopian Airlines said its business relationship with Nigeria remains strong and commercially promising.
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“We have been flying from four cities in Nigeria. Previously, we had four flights per week to Nigeria; now that has increased to six every day, and it will increase further,” Tasew said.
The airline currently operates services to major Nigerian cities and has steadily deepened its footprint in one of Africa’s largest aviation markets.
Tasew said the company’s strategy in Nigeria has now shifted from equity participation in a national airline to direct operations and commercial cooperation with local carriers.
“Our relationship with the Nigerian government is very good now, and we would like to have partnerships like commercial agreements with more independent airlines in Nigeria,” he added.
However, he ruled out any return to ownership-style partnerships in the country.
“Otherwise, we don’t have any intention of having any type of partnership in Nigeria,” he stated.
Industry analysts say the decision reflects changing realities in African aviation, where commercially viable route expansion and code-share partnerships are increasingly preferred over politically sensitive national carrier projects.
Beyond Nigeria, Ethiopian Airlines said it remains open to working with other African countries interested in its multi-hub growth model, under which it partners with governments or investors to build regional airlines.
For Nigeria, the development closes a contentious chapter in its long-running search for a national carrier — while opening a new phase of competition as Ethiopian Airlines strengthens its direct market presence.
