Ethiopian Airlines deploys fleet for hoped-for Nigeria Air

Ethiopian Airlines remains optimistic about the finalisation of the Nigeria Air project for which it has already acquired three B737-8s - which in the meantime will be deployed by the mainline as well as its affiliate carriers ASKY Airlines in Togo, Malawi Airlines, and Zambia Airways. CCO Lemma Yadecha Gudeta told the Nigerian Tribune newspaper: "We even went to the level of acquiring three Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. We have already paid and entered into a contract; there is no option than for us to take those aeroplanes. We are going to use the planes here in Ethiopia, and we have partners in Africa; a very successful one in Togo in ASKY Airlines, and we have other ones in Zambia and Malawi." He added that the three -8s designated for Nigeria Air had arrived in Ethiopia in early March. According to the ch-aviation PRO airlines module, Ethiopian Airlines' current B737-8 fleet numbers 17 aircraft, with 34 more to be delivered. Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is investigating the Nigeria Air project, espoused by the previous government of Muhammadu Buhari and former aviation minister Hadi Sirika as a joint-venture national carrier with a consortium of Nigerian investors, led by Ethiopian Airlines. The project fell apart with a change of government last year.<br/>