Nigeria Air (NWB, Lagos) remains on ice for now, with a court case challenging its establishment as a joint venture between the Nigerian government and a consortium led by Ethiopian Airlines (ET, Addis Ababa International) postponed to February 13, 2023, according to Nigerian news reports.
The Nigerian Federal High Court in Lagos on November 24 ordered the federal government and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the case to have Nigeria Air stopped for anti-competitive reasons as filed by AON registered trustees Azman Air, Air Peace, MaxAir (Nigeria), United Nigeria, and TopBrass Aviation. The defendants are Nigeria Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika, and Nigeria's attorney-general, Abubakar Malami.
"I've reviewed all the applications before me. In the circumstances, the proper thing to do is for the parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of this suit," said Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa.
On November 15, the court granted the airlines an interim injunction which prevented the federal government from selling shares in Nigeria Air to Ethiopian Airlines.
Meanwhile, two AOC member airlines have asked the court to remove the term "The Registered Trustees of AON" from the docket, arguing they had not agreed to file suit against the government over Nigeria Air.
