Nigeria Air Project Remains Suspended Indefinitely – Keyamo

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has announced that the Nigeria Air project will remain suspended indefinitely.

Keyamo made this statement while highlighting the achievements of the aviation sector at the 3rd ministerial updates in Abuja on Monday.

The suspension of the project, which was initially announced in August last year, is to enable a thorough audit of contracts. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has also launched an investigation into the controversial Nigeria Air deal, which was sealed during the tenure of former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika.

Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), had faulted the deal and suspended the arrangement shortly after taking office as minister. The controversy surrounding the establishment of Nigeria’s national carrier, Nigeria Air, had led to the resignation of veteran aviator, Girma Wake, as Chairman of Ethiopian Airlines.

The aircraft used to unveil Nigeria Air was reportedly a chartered flight from Ethiopian Airlines and was returned to the airline after the unveiling in May 2023. Both the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Aviation have labeled the launch of Nigeria Air as a fraud.

In addition to the suspension of Nigeria Air, Keyamo also hinted at plans for the resumption of cargo flights between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.