National carrier: Three foreign airlines shortlisted as partners

There are unconfirmed reports from a source within the government that the FG has shortlisted three foreign carriers as potential partners in its plan to re-establish a national carrier for Nigeria.

The shortlisted carriers, according to the source close are Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopia), South Africa Airways (South Africa) and Lufthansa (Germany).

The source, however, did not specify in what capacity the carriers would act in relation to the proposed new airline, but confirmed that one of the renowned international consultancy firms, KPMG, is in charge of the selection process.

Aviation Minister, Mr. Osita Chidokaon

If the deal scales through, one of the carriers would eventually partner the country in the national carrier project.

It would be recalled that the government since the liquidation of the former national carrier, Nigeria Airways in 2003, had tried vigorously to re-establish a national carrier for the country, but all attempts have failed so far.

Former Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah had between 2012 and 2013 attempted to re-establish a national carrier for Nigeria through partnerships with foreign carriers.

She set up a committee, which made contacts with foreign carriers like Virgin Atlantic, Qatar Airways, Lufthansa Airways, Air France- KLM and a couple of others, but without success.

In 2013, the government sought to merge the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria’s Aero Contractors with the remains of Air Nigeria (VK, Lagos) to form Nigerian Eagle, which also did not see the light of day.

Lufthansa has had a close relationship with Nigeria in 2012 when the government unexpectedly annulled a 2002 Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, between it and Lufthansa, claiming the airline had failed to fulfil its part of the deal.

Under the terms of the MoU, the airline was to provide training of pilots, engineers, and ground handling personnel, while in turn enjoying increased frequencies on the lucrative Lagos- Frankfurt International route.

Just some few weeks ago, the Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka disclosed that the government was in talks with private investors on the possibility of recreating a national carrier for the country.

Chidoka had said that re-establishing a national carrier for the country became necessary in order to ensure growth of technical personnel in the Nigerian aviation industry, adding that the new national carrier would be commercially operated and handled by proven professionals.

He said, “Conversations are on across many possible private sector organisations, both local airlines in Nigeria and then some international airlines. We are totally changing the face of four key airports. Nigeria is studying the possibility of attracting private capital to do that.”