Nigeria Air: EFCC summons Sirika, ex-aviation minister

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has summoned Hadi Sirika, the former Minister of Aviation, to appear before the commission over the launch of Nigeria Air.

The anti-graft agency had also questioned officials of the Nigerian Air over the recent launch of the airline in Abuja.

Investigations show that the minister is expected to appear before the commission within the week to answer questions related to the launch of the airline, Nigerian Air and the Ethiopian airlines aircraft that used for the launch.

The commission will also look at the N3 billion the ex minister said was spent on the project as well as alleged N85 billion put forward by stakeholders.

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Hadi Sirika, during an interview on Arise TV/Thisdaylive on Sunday said the controversial launch of Nigeria Air and the aircraft used for the launch was part of the marketing strategies Ethiopian Airlines deployed to showcase the airline.

He said Ethiopian Airlines which owns 49 percent of the airline shares did not want to wait till they are issued Airline Operating Certificate (AOC) before the launch of the airline takes place.

Sirika during the live interview hinted that the against data by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and Compilation of Budgetary Allocations alleging that N85 billion was spent on the national carrier in eight years, he said less than three billion has been spent so far

“Between 2016 to 2023, all the money that was approved was five billion naira and only three billion naira was released and not all has been spent. The money spent so far was spent on transaction advisory, salaries, office in Abuja, consultancy and Air Operating Certificate (AOC) processes,” he said.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.