Festus Keyamo, Nigeria’s aviation minister, has said that the government is considering new models for a national carrier, stressing it will not be state-funded but commercially driven with strong private sector participation.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme recently, Keyamo said the project, previously stalled, is "not totally gone" and must reflect transparency, global best practices, and sustainability. He added that the airline would serve as flag carrier rather than a government-owned entity, similarly to British Airways, and discussions are already underway with potential partners.
Nigera has been floating plans for a new flag carrier for months, adamant it would not be a revival of Nigeria Air (Lagos), which failed due to a combination of legal challenges and a change in government. That project was initiated under former President Muhammadu Buhari and then-aviation minister Hadi Sirika with a plan for Ethiopian Airlines to lead a consortium of Nigerian stakeholders holding a 49% stake.
Lagos High Court declared the project null and void in August 2024 following a lawsuit from Airline Operators of Nigeria, which argued that the project would negatively impact existing local airlines. Politically, Keyama described Nigeria Air as not a "genuine Nigerian" project but rather an attempt by Ethiopian Airlines to operate under the Nigerian flag.
An investigation into alleged corruption linked to the project is ongoing, with Sirika and family members charged with misappropriating about NGN2.7 billion naira (USD1.8 million). Sirika has defended the failed flag carrier, insisting the initiative was transparent, lawful, and aimed at creating a viable national airline that could have competed internationally.
