The announcement was made by the airline’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mesfin Tasew, during a press briefing at the ongoing IATA Focus Africa Conference in Addis Ababa.
Tasew said the Nigeria Air national carrier initiative has been abandoned, bringing an end to Ethiopian Airlines’ role in the controversial project.
The Nigeria Air plan, introduced during the tenure of former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika, was structured as a partnership involving Ethiopian Airlines. However, it faced prolonged legal challenges, policy reversals, and widespread criticism.
Despite exiting the project, Tasew said relations with the Nigerian government remain positive and reaffirmed the airline’s commitment to the Nigerian market.
He disclosed that Ethiopian Airlines currently operates services to four Nigerian cities and has significantly increased its flight frequencies, rising from four weekly flights previously to six daily services, with further expansion planned.
According to him, the airline’s strategy in Nigeria has shifted toward commercial cooperation rather than ownership or equity participation in a national carrier.
Tasew added that Ethiopian Airlines is open to commercial agreements with independent Nigerian airlines but ruled out any future identity-based airline partnership in the country.
Beyond Nigeria, the carrier said it is also exploring broader expansion opportunities across Africa, with several countries reportedly interested in adopting its multi-hub aviation model.
