News / Nigerian flag-carrier airline set for take-off, with Ethiopian at the helm

Photo: Ktree

Can a new Nigerian carrier, 49%-owned by Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s most successful, transform the hamstrung air cargo market in the continent’s most populous nation?

Nigeria Air will launch in early October with two wide-bodied and six narrow-bodied aircraft, Ethiopian CFO Mesfin Tasew told Bloomberg TV.

“The prime objective is to enable Nigeria to have a national flag carrier,” he said. “Nigeria is a big country, big economy, but unfortunately, it doesn’t have a strong airline.”

He said despite Ethiopian Airlines having just a ...