Ethiopian Airlines has dismissed rumors that it is in talks with the Nigerian government to revive the Nigeria Air project, which was dissolved last year.
Speculation about the potential revival began after Festus Keyamo, Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, and other officials visited Addis Ababa last week. However, executives from Ethiopian Airlines clarified that their discussions with Keyamo and CEO Mesfin Tassew were not focused on the Nigeria Air project.
A source familiar with the matter, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the talks centered on broader developments within the African aviation industry.
Earlier this year, Mesfin Tassew had publicly stated that the Nigeria Air project was effectively concluded. He emphasized that unless new negotiations arose, there would be no plans to revisit the initiative.
Sources also indicated that no fresh discussions about Nigeria Air have occurred since, and the Nigerian delegation’s visit was connected to the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa.
The Nigeria Air project was first proposed in 2018 under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. Ethiopian Airlines was set to hold a 49 percent stake, with the Nigerian government owning the remaining share through the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority. The project, however, faced strong opposition from local Nigerian carriers, eventually leading to its dissolution.
