Legal wrangle continues around Nigeria Air

The Nigerian federal government is trying to achieve the transfer from Lagos to the capital Abuja of a court case aimed at preventing the establishment of Nigeria Air - its new joint venture national carrier with Ethiopian Airlines. In an affidavit filed on January 13, the defendants - Nigeria Air, Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika, and Attorney General Abubakar Malami – argued that continuing the court case in Lagos would be a financial burden on them as they resided and worked in Abuja. In November, the Nigerian Federal High Court in Lagos ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending the case's determination after it had already granted an interim injunction preventing the government from selling shares in Nigeria Air to Ethiopian Airlines, pending the continuation of the court case this week. This followed an application by airline members of the Airline Operators of Nigeria to have Nigeria Air's air transport license revoked on competitive grounds.<br/>