The transaction of Ethiopian Airlines’ 49% equity holding in Nigeria Air has been declared void by a federal high court located in Lagos.
After deciding the suit’s issues, Judge Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa ruled on Monday, August 5, declaring the portion that previous President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration had sold to Ethiopian Airlines to be null and void.
The judge further declared that the federal government’s intentions to launch Nigeria Air as a national carrier ought to be shelved. According to Bizwatch Nigeria, the Federal Government was sued by registered trustees of the Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, and five other aviation industry stakeholders.
Three days prior to the conclusion of the previous president’s term in office, Nigeria Air was introduced in 2023 by Hadi Sirika, the Minister of Aviation under President Buhari.
The five stakeholders are Air Peace Limited, Azman Air Services Limited, Max Air Limited, Topbrass Aviation Limited, and United Nigeria Airlines Company Limited.
The defendants are Nigeria Air Limited, Ethiopian Airlines, former Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika, and former Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami.
The plaintiffs sought an order to nullify the bidding and selection process for the Nigeria Air project, as well as the approval and selection of Ethiopian Airlines by the defendants.
