Nigeria Air and Many Unanswered Questions 

James Nweze

When John. F. Kennedy affirmed in his historic quote: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country”, he was inspired by spirit of patriotism rooted in the ideals of selfless and visionary leadership. Patriotism is the propelling force that drives the development of any nation. Check all the developed countries vis-a-vis their tumultuous journey towards greatness, you will see at the bedrock one critical factor called patriotism. When actions and inactions of leaders of any nation is driven by this core value—patriotism, it is usually easy to inspire same virtue in the citizens. Most of the countries still struggling with development, lack of patriotism is always at the foundation of their underdevelopment.

Nigeria Air and the crude processes birthing it shows one thing—most of Nigerian leaders do not have the spirit of patriotism imbibed in them. They see political power as opportunity for state capture and its attendant resources which they misuse at will. They can throw the collective interest of the nation under the bus as long as their own parochial goal is achieved. Why am I saying this?

Since Federal Government announced its plan to float a national carrier, it has been one controversy after another coming from the proposed Nigeria Air. Firstly, it was the design of its logo which was done by a foreign company at a ridiculous amount of money. Secondly, it was the poor quality of the logo, especially when compared with humongous fund spent on it. After a long delay, Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika commenced processes of heralding the national carrier which has been described by experts as shady, unethical and unpatriotic.

The proposed “national carrier” will have 49% ownership by a foreign investor, 46% of local investors, while FG retains 5%, according to Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, who told Nigerians recently that Ethiopian Airlines had been penciled down as the “foreign partner” while local investors would be SAHCO, MRS and Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA). But NSIA has vehemently denied having anything to do with the proposed “national carrier”, which has further raised more suspicion.

In the face of the embarrassment, Aviation Ministry made a u-turn and replaced NSIA with “institutional investors”. So, the proposed national carrier will be owned by Ethiopian Airlines, MRS, SAHCO and institutional investors. Discerning Nigerians are raising salient and thought-provoking questions the authorities have not been able to answer. How did Federal Government arrive at the equity investors? What criteria did it use? Why give Ethiopian Airlines, owned by government of another country, controlling stake of 49%, why the supposed real owner—Federal Government of Nigeria retains only 5%? What then makes it a national carrier? SAHCO mentioned as one of the “local investors” had been linked to Ethiopian Airlines in the past.

 Who evaluated the equity stake given to Ethiopian Airlines and the local investors? How was the percentage arrived at? How much is Ethiopian Airlines attracting to the nation’s aviation to warrant a massive 49%? Nigerians what to know 49 per cent of what exactly, was ceded to Ethiopian Airlines? The Federal Executive Council (FEC) recently approved humongous amount for lease of three aircraft for the take-off of Nigeria Air. So, what exactly is Ethiopian Airlines bringing to the table that gave rise to allocating 49% equity stake to it? Who is trying to kill indigenous airlines in the country because of parochial interest of rent seeking and royalties?

MRS was mentioned as one of the local investors that would benefit from the 46 per cent equity stake. It is a known secret that the majority shareholder in MRS is a known ally of Hadi Sirika, aviation minister. Is this not conflict of interest and abuse of public trust? Where lies spirit of patriotism in all these conspiracies to shortchange Nigerians? Simply put, someone in government is using public funds and government apparatus to setup a private airline for himself as retirement benefit why using Ethiopian Airlines as his technical partners and his cronies as corresponding “local investors”. There is nothing “national” about the proposed Nigeria Air.

Calling proposed Nigeria Air “national carrier” is deception and an insult on our collective intelligence as Nigerians. There is nothing national about it. Please don’t get me wrong. It is not bad for an indigenous airline to be floated using Nigeria as part of its name and branding. Afterall, United Nigeria Airlines owned by Prof. Obiora Okonkwo has Nigeria in its name. But everything is wrong when someone entrusted with public office tries to set up private airline using public funds while disguising it as “national carrier”. Why give a false impression of a national carrier when federal government will only have five per cent stake in the proposed Nigeria Air?

With controlling stake of 49 per cent in the proposed airline, it can be concluded that Nigeria Air will be a subsidiary of Ethiopian Airlines in Nigeria. So, the thought-provoking questions are: why use public funds and government apparatus to float subsidiary of Ethiopian Airlines in the country to compete with local airlines? Those pushing this heinous agenda to achieve entrenched interests, have they considered the economic challenges and national security threat it can pose to indigenous airlines and Nigeria as a nation? In fact, it is tantamount to bringing in Ethiopian Airlines to take over Nigerian aviation market because of few individuals in government who have placed parochial personal interests above national interests. The sole end goal of these unpatriotic elements is rents and royalties at the expense of a strategic industry of the economy like aviation.

The implication of this ill-conceived project called Nigeria Air, if allowed to scale through, is that it will hand over the nation’s aviation market to Ethiopian Airlines who might in turn flood the country with its planes to takeover both the domestic and foreign markets. Its attendant job loss is better imagined than experienced. Nigeria is the most populous black nation on earth with over 200 million people. Our population is not only the biggest in Africa, Nigerians are the most-travelled blacks on the face of the earth. You can see why aviation behemoth like Ethiopian Airlines has been trying—whether hook or crook, to have access to Nigeria’s aviation market. Unfortunately, our policymakers are aiding and abetting the potential eclipse of the indigenous airlines.

I can remember vividly that in 2019 Ethiopian Airlines approached Air Peace for such anti-Nigerian arrangements, to come into Nigeria via such partnership, where the Airline would be able to have access to our aviation market; do local flights and also use the country as one of its takeoff points for international flights. When Air Peace got the details of the arrangement, which had the dangerous consequences of handing over the nation’s aviation market to foreign interest, it rejected the offer. Air Peace did not only back out of such retrogressive cum unpatriotic deal but ensured that its rejection was documented and signed for posterity sake. Allen Onyema would have accepted the offer, and be making millions of dollars from royalties, but Nigeria’s aviation market would have been mortgaged by Ethiopian Airlines.

While as Nigerians we wish and lobby investors to bring in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to boost our local economy, we should not shoot ourselves in the foot by contriving an arrangement that will outsource a strategic sector like the aviation to a foreign interest. Nigeria Air will be a subsidiary of Ethiopian Airlines, it is as simple as that. Anyone telling us anything contrary is pushing a personal agenda against national interest. There is nothing national in the proposed carrier. Rather, it will strangulate indigenous airlines and stifle their potentials to compete with other legacy airlines in the world.

The suspicious manner of which the Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, is rushing the processes against laid down guidelines, and even dissing indigenous airlines in the media, recently, one might be tempted to ask whether what is being floated is Nigeria Air or “Sirika Air”. In the face of daunting challenges facing the aviation industry like high cost of aviation fuel, scarcity of forex for spareparts, poor infrastructure at the airports, etc., should floating a supposed national carrier where Federal Government will have only five per cent stake be of paramount importance? Isn’t high time public office holders, for once, put national interest above selfish interests? Many questions yearning for answers.