Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has made it clear that Nigeria's national carrier will not be chosen from among local airlines. He argued that designating a local airline as the national carrier would be unjust to other operators in the industry. In an interview on Channels TV's Politics Today, Keyamo outlined his ministry's commitment to establishing a dedicated national carrier rather than favoring a particular local airline to serve as the flag carrier.

Keyamo publicly announced, "I will push for one national carrier and I am working on one." He firmly asserted that, as a matter of policy, no local airline would be granted the status of a national carrier, emphasizing the need for a fair and impartial approach. The minister also disclosed that discussions were underway with international parties, including representatives from Arab, Chinese, and American interests, expressing interest in collaborating on the establishment of the national carrier.

Questioning the decisions made by his predecessor, Hadi Sirika, Keyamo wondered why the option of a national carrier was pursued when better deals were available. He distinguished between a flag carrier and a national carrier, stating that the former administration's initiative, Nigeria Air, was not a true national carrier but rather a foreign airline attempting to fly the Nigerian flag.

Adding another layer to the situation, Keyamo revealed ongoing criminal investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission concerning the controversial National Air Carrier project. The House of Representatives had previously invited Sirika for questioning in relation to the project, initiated during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. The motion, sponsored by Tarkighir Dickson, raised concerns about the unclear status of the project despite substantial taxpayer funds being utilized and sought insights into various controversies surrounding it.

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