Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has tasked Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, the new permanent secretary of the Ministry of Aviation, with reviving efforts to establish a flag carrier and improving the nation's airports, the country's Business Day newspaper reported.
During a meeting in Abuja, Kana outlined two key goals: establishing a national carrier and upgrading airports to global standards. He expressed his commitment to working closely with Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo to achieve these objectives swiftly, enhancing passenger experiences, and fulfilling the president's vision for the aviation sector.
In September 2022, the former federal government under Muhammadu Buhari appointed a consortium led by Ethiopian Airlines to establish Nigeria Air (NWB, Lagos), a joint-venture national carrier, but the Tinubu administration discarded the project as a sellout to the Ethiopians. Keyamo, in particular, labelled it as not a genuine Nigerian initiative. The proposed venture was eventually declared "null and void" on August 5, 2024, by the High Court in Lagos. The ruling followed a lawsuit by the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), which argued that the project would harm local airlines. An investigation into alleged corruption by former officials is ongoing.
Meanwhile, discussions and proposals continue within Nigeria's aviation sector regarding the designation of certain airlines as flag carriers. The state-run Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has proposed a merger between Arik Air (W3, Lagos) and Aero Contractors (N2, Lagos), both under its receivership, to create a national carrier. AMCON owns 60% of Aero Contractors and has a substantial interest in Arik Air. Aero Contractors CEO Ado Sanusi has acknowledged it could make sense for the stakeholder to consolidate its assets into one company but has cautioned the concept requires a more thorough evaluation. Calls have also been made for Air Peace (P4, Lagos) to be developed as a flag carrier by selling shares to the public, making it a privately run but government-designated airline.
