In a landmark ruling, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa ordered a halt to plans to establish a national airline in Nigeria, known as Nigeria Air. This decision follows a complaint filed by the Registered Trustees of Nigeria Airline Operators, in collaboration with Azman Air Services Limited, Air Peace Limited, Max Air Limited, United Nigeria Airlines Company Limited, and Topbrass Aviation Limited.
The plaintiffs challenged the sale of the project, citing unfair exclusions and irregularities in the tender and selection processes. Justice Lewis-Allagoa granted all the plaintiffs’ applications, except that for a damages claim of N2 billion for the loss they allegedly suffered.
In his statement, the judge made it clear that “the proposed establishment of Nigeria Air should not be pursued”, thus confirming the plaintiffs’ position on the illegality of the tender process. The six plaintiffs filed suit against Nigeria Air Limited, Ethiopian Airlines, former Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, and the Attorney General of the Federation.
They asked the court to annul the entire bidding and selection process, including the approval and award of Ethiopian Airlines by the former officials. This court ruling represents a significant victory for Nigeria’s airline operators, who successfully halted a process they saw as tainted with irregularities and injustice.
It also highlights the importance of ensuring transparency and legality in tendering and selection processes, particularly when it comes to projects of such scale and stakes. This case highlights the challenges faced by stakeholders in the aviation sector in Nigeria and highlights the need to put in place mechanisms to ensure fairness and compliance with established standards.