Ethiopian Airlines (ET, Addis Ababa International) has denied news reports that it is working to revive plans for a Nigerian national carrier in partnership with the Nigerian government.
The recent reports were triggered by a visit to Addis Ababa by Nigerian Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo. However, Ethiopian Airlines executives told The Reporter newspaper in Ethiopia that the meeting with CEO Mesfin Tasew Bekele focused on African aviation developments, not the failed Nigeria Air (Lagos) project.
This comes after Nigeria's Punch newspaper, citing sources and "recent events and documents", reported that the Nigerian federal government could resume talks with Ethiopian Airlines to revive the stalled national carrier project but under a new name. This followed tensions between the two countries following Nigeria Air's failure in 2024.
The initiative from the former government under President Muhammadu Buhari would have seen an Ethiopian Airlines-led consortium hold a 49% stake in Nigeria Air, but the venture collapsed after strong opposition from Nigerian carriers. Under the current government, Nigeria Air was dismissed as a sellout to the Ethiopians.
ch-aviation has reached out to Ethiopian Airlines for comment.
