Stories; Wole Shadare 
The Ethiopian Minister of Transport and Logistics, Mrs Dagamawit Moges, has commended the partnership of Nigeria and Ethiopian Airlines which is expected to birth a new carrier for Nigeria called Nigeria Air.
She said the Nigeria Air project was a partnership between the two highest populated African nations that will impact greatly on the aviation industry in the continent and intergovernmental relationships.
This is coming as Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said the successful delivery of the national carrier project amounted to a major boost to the development and success of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) to which both countries are signatories.
Moges made this known when she led her country’s delegation at the 41st General Assembly of ICAO on a courtesy visit to Sirika at the Nigerian ICAO Mission office in Montreal Canada.
She said the government of Ethiopia, particularly, Ethiopian Airlines, was very excited about the partnership for the establishment of Nigeria’s national carrier and hoped that it will open new vistas for partnership in other areas, political and economic.
She commended the Nigerian government for picking Ethiopian Airlines as the preferred partner for the national carrier out of the numerous interests that were expressed, assuring that the consideration would not be taken for granted.
Moges also said that Nigeria, with its position as a major player in the global aviation industry, remained an attractive partner and expressed optimism that the establishment of Nigeria Air will be beneficial to all involved, including the Nigerian teeming populace.
Welcoming the Ethiopian Minister and her delegation, Sirika stated that the decision to establish the national carrier through a partnership was not because Nigeria lacked the capacity to do it, but because it wanted to avoid the issues that led to the collapse of the previous national carrier.
He said that the choice of Ethiopian Airlines was based on the premise of having shown that government business can be run profitably, apart from being an African airline that has carved a niche for itself in the world air transportation industry.
Sirika described the national carrier project as one that was dear to the heart of President Muhammadu Buhari, saying that its successful delivery amounted to a major boost to the development and success of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) to which both countries are signatories.
