Ethiopian Airlines (ET, Addis Ababa International) Chief Executive Officer Tewolde Gebremariam has confirmed talks with Arik Air (W3, Lagos) over a proposed management contract have now been terminated.

In an interview with AIN Online, Gebremariam said Ethiopian Airlines had decided to end the negotiations "due to financial and legal complications."

However, according to the CEO, the Nigerian market remains highly attractive to Ethiopian Airlines with two initiatives currently under scrutiny. The first is the Nigerian government's national carrier project while the second involves an unspecified private operator with which Ethiopian may choose to collaborate.