The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has announced that the Nigeria Air project will remain suspended “indefinitely.” Yes, you read that right, indefinitely.
What They Are Saying
Keyamo made this declaration while proudly listing the supposed achievements of the aviation sector during the 3rd ministerial updates on Monday in Abuja. Among the tidbits of progress, he also mentioned some vague plans to resume cargo flights between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.
Now, let’s rewind a bit. Back in January, Keyamo informed us that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had started investigating the controversial Nigeria Air deal, a brainchild of the former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika. This investigation, which Keyamo ominously referred to as a “criminal investigation,” was supposed to uncover the dirty details of this dubious deal. He assured us, “I have called for the report.” We’re still waiting, Minister.
Why It Matters
Fast forward to August, fresh into his role as minister, Keyamo, who is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) decided to suspend the entire Nigeria Air project. He blamed Sirika’s hasty unveiling of the national carrier just days before ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration ended, insisting on a proper audit of the contracts involved.
The chaos surrounding Nigeria Air’s creation was so intense that it even drove veteran aviator, Girma Wake, to resign as Chairman of Ethiopian Airlines. Meanwhile, Capt Dapo Olumide, the then Interim Managing Director of Nigeria Air, admitted that the plane used for the grand reveal was nothing more than a chartered flight from Ethiopian Airlines. It was promptly returned to them after the flashy unveiling on the last day of Buhari’s tenure in May 2023.
Bottom Line
And the icing on the cake? Both the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Aviation called the launch of Nigeria Air a complete fraud. So, there you have it—another grand plan turned national embarrassment, indefinitely suspended while we all wait for some semblance of accountability.
