Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has criticized the failed Nigeria Air project, accusing former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika of mismanaging ₦85 billion (USD 55.2 million) allocated for the national carrier.
The allegations are detailed in Obasanjo’s new book, Nigeria: Past and Future, where he claims Sirika chartered an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft painted in Nigeria Air livery and falsely presented it as the country’s national carrier before leaving office. He accused the former minister of misleading the Nigerian public and wasting taxpayers’ money on the venture, as reported by Punch, 21st Century Chronicle, and The Comment.
Obasanjo’s comments reference a controversial event in which an Ethiopian Airlines B737-800 (ET-APL, msn 40965) arrived in Abuja on March 26, 2023, painted in Nigeria Air colors. The aircraft was part of what was described as a ferry flight for the startup’s air operator certificate (AOC) audit. However, the plane returned to Addis Ababa on May 27, 2023, just two days before the inauguration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government.
The unveiling of Nigeria Air was met with public outrage and legal challenges. The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) took the matter to an Abuja High Court, securing an injunction that blocked the finalization of the airline’s certification under Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
The project was eventually scrapped under the Tinubu government, which dismissed the joint venture as a sellout to Ethiopian Airlines. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Sirika and three others over alleged contract fraud involving ₦2.8 billion (USD 1.8 million).
Despite the controversy, reports suggest that the current administration is considering a new national carrier, though possibly under a different name. Ethiopian Airlines has denied any plans to revive Nigeria Air.