Appearing on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on September 2, former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika defended the ill-fated Nigeria Air project, insisting it was executed with transparency and due process. LagosExplorer reports that Sirika pushed back against allegations of fraud, stressing that only ₦3 billion was released for the project out of a ₦5 billion budget, contrary to claims that over ₦100 billion was wasted.
The ex-minister explained that much of the disbursed funds went into consultancy fees and staff salaries, while more than ₦1 billion remained unused. He challenged Nigerians to verify the records through the Freedom of Information Act, saying, “Nigeria Air was not a scam, it followed proper procedures under the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).”
Sirika also denied corruption allegations surrounding his tenure, noting that he acquired no new assets while in office. “All the houses I have today were bought before I became minister,” he maintained. His remarks come as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) pursues charges against him and his family over alleged ₦2.7 billion contract fraud linked to the national carrier.
Nigeria Air, launched in 2018 with Ethiopian Airlines as a 49% shareholder alongside Nigerian investors (46%) and the federal government (5%), was billed as a game-changer for the aviation sector. However, it collapsed following stiff opposition from local operators under the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), who argued that the deal would strangle indigenous airlines. In August 2024, the Federal High Court in Lagos nullified the partnership, sealing the fate of the project.
Blaming local airlines such as Air Peace, Azman Air, and United Nigeria Airlines for sabotaging the initiative, Sirika argued they were driven by fear of competition. He disclosed plans to publish a book detailing his tenure and offering his own account of why the airline failed.