Ethiopian Airline Never Had Plan to Set Up in Nigeria, Says CEO

•Reveals Nigeria suspended national carrier project to address concerns

Chinedu Eze

The Group Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines, Mr. Mesfin Tasew, has said the East African carrier never had plan to set up an airline in Nigeria, but was invited by the country’s federal government to partner with it to establish a national carrier, Nigeria Air.

Tasew, who spoke to journalists from Nigeria in Addis Ababa yesterday, disclosed that because of the pedigree of Ethiopian Airlines it was invited by the federal government of Nigeria to help it set up a national carrier in a partnership arrangement and because of the airline’s engagements it initially resisted the invitation but later agreed due to long relationship it has with the West African country.

According to him, while Ethiopian Airlines and the Nigerian government were preparing the shareholding structure, it received message that some companies and airlines in Nigeria were defaming Ethiopian Airlines and the federal government and had gone to court and obtained a court order to stop the establishment of Nigeria Air.

This, he said, prompted Ethiopian Airlines to want to withdraw, but the Nigerian government insisted that it should continue the process of establishing the national carrier for the most populous nation in Africa.

Tasew, emphasised that Nigeria Air was already established before Ethiopian Airlines was invited to go into the partnership.

He, however, stressed that Nigerians would benefit hugely from the national carrier if it was eventually established because the federal government said that Nigeria does not have dependable airlines in the domestic and international market.

This, he said, has led to foreign airlines charging high fares on the Nigerian route and exploiting Nigerian travellers; so, government wanted strong, dependable airline with capacity, remarking that if the national carrier is established, it will help existing airlines to improve their operational standard to compete effectively in the market to the benefit of air travellers in the country.

Tasew explained: “In May, of 2022, when I took my current responsibility (as Group CEO), a request came from the Nigerian government asking ET (Ethiopian Airlines) to participate in a bid and help the Nigerian government to setup a Nigerian flag carrier. It came in writing.

“Initially we didn’t want to go into that. We said we have other initiatives in other countries and we were busy. But the Nigerian government insisted that Ethiopian Airlines is an African airline, it has to help the Nigerian government in setting up the national carrier. So, we had to respect them.

“So, we had to submit proposal, we had to respect the Nigerian government. And we thought that the Nigerian government had choices, ET being one; because they had also requested other airlines in the Middle East, Europe to participate in the bid. I don’t know whether they participated or not.

“We submitted our proposal and we received a letter from the Ministry of Aviation, saying that Ethiopian Airlines has been selected to be a partner to setup the airline.

“Then we heard that some companies in Nigeria, including airlines started defaming and objecting the establishment of the airline and defaming the name of the government and Ethiopian Airlines.

“At that time, we thought that if the Nigerian government doesn’t want it, the Nigerian public doesn’t want it, we could as well withdraw. But the Nigerian government insisted that no, that this is a strategic issue for Nigeria and we have to continue. “When these group of people went to court, and brought a court order, we had to defend ourselves, we had to go to the court, together with the Nigerian government, including the Ministry of Transport.”

According to him, “Nigeria Air was already established by the Nigerian government before we were invited. It has its own leadership, it was doing a lot of things, it had started requesting for the Air Operators’ Certificate (AOC), making preparations.

“So, when we came in, it was a matter of restructuring the ownership of that Nigeria Air. For your information, the logo was already defined by them, it was not by Ethiopian Airlines. And we thought that if Nigeria Air is established, the benefit will be for Nigerian public, for Nigerian government.”

Speaking further, he said, “the Nigerian government believes that airfares charged by foreign airlines are so high that the Nigerian public is at a disadvantage. “So, the intention of the Nigerian government was to setup a very, very strong, reliable, dependable national carrier that services both the domestic market and the international.  And we believe in it. that is why we wanted to move forward with it.”

The Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines further explained that when the federal government requested for Ethiopian Airlines aircraft painted on the Nigeria Air logo for the inspection of Nigerians, the airline agreed.

“At one point, that leadership of Nigeria Air, which doesn’t include Ethiopian Airlines, asked us to bring aircraft painted with Nigerian logo to facilitate the progress of the Air Operators’ Certificate.

“So, we agreed with that, we took out one of our aircraft, we painted it with Nigerian logo, we flew it, it was for demonstration by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for their inspection. So, after two days, we brought back the aircraft, repainted it with Ethiopian logo and it is flying. So, while we were here, waiting for the decision of the court, now there was a change of government that took place.

“New ministers, high government officials and they came and told us, look, there are concerns from people. So, temporarily they wanted to suspend the project. We said fine. I had to travel to Abuja to talk to the authorities to listen to what their intention and plan is. And they told us that they are not cancelling the project but that they wanted to study it and address the concerns of the public.”

Tasew said the federal government promised to get back to Ethiopian Airlines with a decision and the East African carrier agreed.

“In the first place, it was not our initiative, it was the initiative of the government. Now, if the government wants us to cancel the project, it is fine with us. We have no problem. If the government want us to continue with the project, the government has to solve the legal case in court.

“Otherwise, we are willing to support the Nigerian government in the establishment of the national carrier. So, we leave the decision to the Nigerian government.

“We have no issues; we will not be disappointed if it is cancelled. We are just there to help. And if the parties ask us to help, change their mind, change its strategy, we are fine with that. This is what we told the Minister; that we respect whatever decision of the Nigerian government,” he added.