By Chris Aligbe

Early January, Just few weeks ago, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu issued two directives to the new Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace to ensure the Establishment of a National Airline and the Sanitization of Airports during his tenure.  This directive once again brought to the front burner the vexed old age question of the need for a formidable airline in Nigeria since the ill-advised liquidation of the erstwhile National Carrier, Nigeria Airways in 2003 under the Obasanjo Administration.

The quest for Nigeria to take its place in global aviation in the airline subsector by establishing a very formidable National Airline is 32 years now.  It started in 1992 with Capt. Mohammed Joji’s Air Nigeria/Nigeria Airways up to Hadi Sirika’s Nigeria Air whose life was terminated in 2023.  Between Capt. Joji’s Air Nigeria and Hadi Sirika’s Nigeria Air, there were eleven (11) failed attempts to float a formidable National Airline.

Out of the eleven attempts, only one – Ibrahim Jani’s Nigeria Airways/British Airways Joint Venture – passed without protest or resistance from within.  Only a feeble antagonism came from a local principal of Lufthansa, who denounced the Joint Venture.  But it is not known whether he spoke for the airline or for himself.  There were about six reasons Jani’s JV escaped protest.  All other serious attempts faced daunting criticisms and protest.  At every point in the over thirty-two years of attempts to establish a vibrant National Airline, various interests; groups, professionals, individuals and political organizations have always risen against it.  Unfortunately, none of the various antagonistic interests ever came with a focus on the interest of the millions of Nigeria air travel passengers.

Capt. Joji’s Nigeria Airways/Air Nigeria was at the behest of the Hamza Zayyad-led Technical Committee on Privatization and Commercialization – TCPC.  Air Nigeria was incorporated by Ministry of Finance Incorporated – MoFI by two senior officers, one of whom was Mr. Oddiri.  Government was the sole shareholder of the 100% equity.  Nigeria Airways Management led by Joji and the Board under the Chairmanship of impeccable Prince Tony Momoh drove the Project.  Nigeria Airways and Kenya Airways Privatization strategies both of which were the first in Africa and after British Airways privatization were presented to African Airlines Association (AFRAA) Annual General Assembly (AGA) held at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe in 1992. AFRAA adjudged Nigeria Airways model better than Kenya Airways model.

Air Nigeria was to operate only international routes while Nigeria Airways was to continue its domestic and regional routes.  Five international routes had already been transferred to it through a Note Verbale by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as approved by the Aviation Ministry and TCPC.

In spite of these facts and the fact that 100 graduates had been employed and trained as Cabin Executives for Air Nigeria, today the narrative in the public space is that ”Air Nigeria”was Joji’s airline.  A position that is totally unfounded and based on crass ignorance advanced by some otherwise respected Professionals.  The Project faced protests by in-house Unions led by NUATE and NAAPE (B737 Pilot Class).  The first was driven by the high standard of entry requirements which was first Degree and the second by the fact that B737 Pilots feared they would lose the opportunity to progress to higher fleet (DC10, A310) and would not fly intercontinental routes, they considered an impairment to their professional growth and which as well offered some opening for business idea and development.  The motives behind the protests were all self or group interests and the interest of millions of air travel passengers were not in focus. They did not matter to them as it were.

Next Project worthy of mention is the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the investment arm of the World Bank ”NewCo” of 1999/2000.  IFC was engaged by the Obasanjo administration in 1999 as a Transaction Adviser for the privatisation of Nigeria Airways.  In June 2000, IFC team, led by Adobie Quainoo produced a 147 page document that is still today what is the most comprehensive study of Nigeria airline subsector.  In the Document, after thorough analyses, IFC recommended three Options – Turnaround, Liquidation and NewCo (New Company using the assets of Nigeria Airways in a Privatization Strategy).  The “NewCo” option was approved both by Aviation Steering Committee (ASTRC) under Agagu and Kema Chikwe, who were Aviation Ministers at the period as well as the Federal Executive Council (FEC) under President Obasanjo.   ‘NewCo” was driven by Nasir El-Rufai BPE.  IFC and BPE faced in-house Union protests led this time by ATSSAN, whose objectives, motives and motivation were not clear.  Also, “NewCo” faced rejection by the sitting Managing Director of Nigeria Airways who preferred a Turnaround Option.  But Newco was eventually undermined by the President himself, who engaged IFC; action that metamorphosed into Virgin Nigeria.  Virgin Nigeria was a purely private airline that was deceptively cloaked as a National Carrier.  Stakeholders today will blame Dr. Kema Chikwe.  But the truth is that as the Minister, she carried out the directives of the President without knowing the President’s objectives. In fact, she was not part of the inglorious Bazzar of Nigeria Airways properties worth billions of Naira in 2003 – 4. “NewCo”’s end was not in consideration of millions of air travel passengers, but motivated by the personal desire to set up an airline of their own.  “Newco’s death is one of the saddest commentaries of our national life in the aviation sector.  Since Virgin Nigeria was 100 per cent private, I will not dwell on it, more so as I have written extensively on it in one of the longest pieces I ever wrote on Aviation.

Between IFC, NewCo and Sirika’s Nigeria Air, there were other attempts like Air Nigeria and Nigeria Global, both driven by Kema Chikwe, Nigeria Eagle driven by Isa Yuguda, both Aviation Ministers under President Obasanjo.  Under President Jonathan, was “Nigeria One”, driven by Stella Odua, his Aviation Minister.  But since none of these got off the ground, there is no need to dwell on them.  But suffice it to say that virtually all Governments that came into being have always recognised the need for a virile National Carrier, more so in the face of failure of any strong private airline filling the void created by the ill-advisedly liquidated Nigeria Airways.  So was President Buhari.  Throughout his campaign in 2013, building up to his first tenure, Buhari consistently asked, “Where is Nigeria Airways”?  It was therefore not surprising that one of the first directives Buhari gave a day after being sworn in as President was to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, to constitute a Committee for the establishment of a National Carrier.  This was six months before Ministers, including Hadi Sirika were appointed.  Sirika may have coined the name “Nigeria Air” and the Logo but the National Airline was a Buhari’s mandate simpliciter.  That a Presidential programme and mandate did not materialize in the eight years of his administration is food for thought for every reasonable and concerned Stakeholder.  IBB supported “Air Nigeria” under Joji in which two other national statutory institutions – Technical Committee on Privatization and Commercialization – TCPC, and the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MoFI) were involved failed to materialize (1992 – 1994).  Also, Hon Dubem Onyia-led House Committee on Aviation held a public hearing on it which though was positive but was at the twilight of IBB’s political gamble, which eclipsed the outcome.  OBJ’s IFC NewCo, in spite of the tremendous work by IFC and the involvement of El-Rufai’s-led BPE, MoFI as well as ASTRC of Ministry of Aviation, personal motives and motivations aborted the take-off of the NewCo. (2000-2003). IFC was paid US$400,000 as a Transaction Adviser.

Having written and listened to various analyses on why IBB and OBJ Projects did not materialize, there is no need to go into the archives on the two.  But what about Nigeria Air?  This has become very pressing in the face of President Tinubu’s directive to Dr. Kana, Permanent Secretary, Aviation and Aerospace.  The President did not direct Dr. Kana to revive “Nigeria Air”, but to ensure the “establishment of a National Carrier within his tenure”.  This simple and unambiguous directive is unfortunately running a cold spell in the veins of age-long and vicious new antagonists of a National Airline.  It appears that the proverbial ”Dogs of War” have again amassed and assembled in a new strategy to truncate the President’s directive and Dr. Kana’s would-be efforts.  Antagonists seem not to realize that Article 42 (IV) of the President/APC’s “Renewed Hope Agenda”; the campaign promise to MILLIONS OF NIGERIANS and ipso facto MILLIONS OF NIGERIA’S AIR TRAVEL PASSENGERS, states that “We will continue with the current (Buhari’s) administration’s plan to establish a new National Carrier”.  In spite of the above charter, President Tinubu, unlike Buhari, did not jump into the National Carrier fray on assumption of office.  He was very studious and fact-finding in his approach and certainly very calculated.

The fact is that the President is fully briefed on the botched “Nigeria Air”.  During the first AU Conference in Addis Ababa which the President attended, we learnt from our Ethiopian Professional Colleagues that the issue of ET involvement in Nigeria Air featured in one of the top level private meetings, consequent upon which the President sent a three-man team led by the Director-General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA) to meet with the ET Management for further fact-finding.  This was because the brief the President received seemed at some variance with what he heard from home.  The NIA DG team met with the ET CEO’s team after which both gave a very terse Public/Media briefing.  I recall the NIA DG saying in a paraphrase of that brief “We had a very good meeting.  It is now left for us to go home and brief our President”.  The Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO corroborated his brief.  Unfortunately, the Aviation Minister was not on that trip. 

Dear Permsec, in order to be on a level or two above the antagonists who are determined to frustrate your planned implementation of the President’s directive on National Carrier, you need to know how Nigeria Air was brought down.  It is necessary to state that this is not an APOLOGIA for Nigeria Air or its promoters, but rather an ENLIGHTENMENT on what may confront you.  Right from day one, when the Nigeria Air Logo was unveiled at Farnborough Air Show, it received a barrage of criticisms and denunciation.

The focus was on the place of unveiling, logo design and who designed the logo.  After the first presentation to FEC, another barrage of attacks, one of which was from a highly respected Nigerian – Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, who without any stated reason or premise said, “Nigeria Air must fail”.  Her position could not be interrogated since it sounded more like a wish rather than experiential reasoning.  In 2019, when, following the decision of the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osibanjo-led FEC Economic Committee recommended that the Nigeria Air Project be suspended till 2020 based on lack of budgetary provision in 2019, Sirika, who had projected the take-off of Nigeria Air in December 2019, announced the suspension of Nigeria Air after the FEC meeting.  One of the strongest opponents of a national carrier in an article published in Saturday Vanguard, applauded Buhari for having the courage to cancel the entire project and claimed in the article that the whole country was jubilant about his decision.

After the Covid global scare, by 2021/22, the restart of the floatation received various opposing and supporting views from both genuine and incentivized contenders.  But the severest opponents went back to the drawing board and waited till almost the last year of Buhari’s Presidency when he had become a “Lame Duck”.  Just towards the end of 2022 and very early 2023, four Airline Operators unleashed a highly effective and successful devastating attack on Nigeria Air in a campaign never seen before in our country.  But one that brings to memory the exploits of Sulaiman Takuma and Patrick Ityohe and Okokon Ndem, Bob Ogbuagu and Uche Chukwumerije on the two divides of the Nigeria Civil War.  Nigeria Air and its Promoters as well as Ethiopian Airline were caught up in a surprise Pincer Strategy attack.  One end of the Pincer pointed to the court where the SAN engaged by the quartet filed a suit against the Nigeria Air Project; a suit in which the Lawyer showed a perfect understanding of the nuances of the Nigerian judicial system. The suit was programmed to ensure the delay of a take-off of the airline with an injunction until Buhari’s exit.  This was achieved.  Unfortunately, the response of the Nigeria Air promoters was very feeble.  The other end of the Pincer which pointed to the Media was more deadly.  The complex strategy was preceded with tremendous misinformation, falsehood and lies to the public on the project that whipped up public sentiment against it.  At this point, they shaded off Buhari and did not mention the seven times the project was fully discussed at the FEC which gave approvals after observed amendments.  They also blacked out other Agencies, like MoFI, ICPC, as well as the Ministry of Justice that gave opinion on the Nigeria Air’s Agreement.  ICPC, Ministry of Aviation and MoFI were the three principals.  But the Opponent-Quartet preferred to focus on Nigeria Air Promoters and Ethiopian Airline.  In their campaign which was Gobbelsian, they successfully sucked in some reputable Print and Electronic Media personnel, some SANS and Lawyers, some genuine as well as incentivized stakeholders and social media bloggers.  For them, it was a war of survival and they adopted Wilson Churchill’s World War II dictum that “in war situation, truth must be surrounded by body guard of lies”.  Also, they enclosed Ethiopian Airlines in their mudslinging, even when the airline only responded to the advert for investment in Nigeria Air when all other airlines, including Emirates, Ethihad, Turkish and Qatar shunned it.  Even when Ethiopian airline insisted that until the court action was vacated; its global reputation requires it not to continue.  Indeed, Joseph Globbes, Adolf Hitler’s propaganda Chief could not have done better.  The opponents successfully claded themselves with a garb of patriots and hoodwinked both discerning and undiscerning publics.  Only few saw through their posturing.  Their arguments were totally self-directed and represented a quintessential classic primitive egoism offered to Nigerians in a deceptive cocoon of pretentious patriotism.  The millions of Nigeria air travel passengers were never their focus.  It was their business interest which they feared would be hurt by a virile National Flag Carrier that was their primary and only concern.  Their underlying philosophy is not “I and others”, not “I before others”, but “I AND NO OTHER”.  Up till date, they have no capacity to fill the yawning gap of the absence of a virile air carrier for Nigeria; “the Dogs are in the Manger”, so to say.  This failure of theirs is in spite of Minister Keyamo’s spirited effort towards improving the ease of doing business and to increase their capacity.

Dear Perm Sec, in Buhari last days, these antagonists chested out, but under President Tinubu, they cannot chest out because they know that they are dealing with a Grandmaster.  Yet, they have started clandestinely.   In their campaign, they totally maligned Ethiopian Airline that did absolutely nothing wrong.  Whatever was wrong, if any, was from the Nigerian side, unarguably. They have put on an ambivalent disposition.  During the day they speak glowingly of the Tinubu administration but at night, they encourage the recycling of old media stories that whipped up sentiments against the establishment of a virile National Flag Carrier in the Buhari era.  

On January 8, after the President’s directive, the first of such publications appeared in a national business newspaper.  Since then, there have been four of such stories regurgitated.  Dear Dr. Kana, a virile National Carrier is very very feasible as there are six models/options to be considered.   Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, I am not very worried because in my civil service years in the Cabinet Office (1978 – 79) and Executive Office of the President (1979 -81),  I learnt that Perm Secs that serve in Ministries such as Defence, Cabinet Secretariat and Finance are usually in a different Class due to the complexities of the schedules. Also, you are working with a very active, discerning and focused Minister.  Given this, I am convinced that you can easily identify camellions both by day and by night.  But be very very careful.  Our nation is in dire need of your success because, as at today, in spite of the great efforts of Minister Festus Keyamo, to lift up the Private Airlines, we are still at the nadir of hope and marching to the verge of Seppuku. Millions of Nigeria air travel passengers are still travelling through, Kigali (Rwandair), through Rabbat (Royal Air Maroc). Istanbul (Turkish), Cairo (Egypt Air), Accra (AWA), Kumasi (Ethiopian) , Nairobi (Kenya Airways, to mention but a few.  They ought to be going to destinations through easier connections.

We need to be pulled back in order to RENEW HOPE FOR OUR COUNTRY and its CITIZENS in the airline subsector.   Just remember – “Establishment of a virile National Carrier failed in IBB era, failed in OBJ era, failed in the Jonathan era and failed in the Buhari era.  Will it also fail in Tinubu era?  Food for thought?

Lastly, IBB, OBJ and Buhari were basically military men, who strayed into politics.  Jonathan came from the Academia.  But Tinubu is a quintessential Politician, an investment DRIVER in a hurry – to acquit himself in his ”RENEWED HOPE AGENDA, a mantra that your Minister is an avowed and unapologetic apostle.

•Chris Aligbe is an Aviation Consultant.