Qatar Airways CEO says the airline ‘never applied to serve as core investor Nigeria Air’

Al Baker said the Nigerian government only approached them for help on how to go about floating a national carrier.

“We never applied to serve as core investor in the proposed Nigerian national carrier,” said Al Baker. “The government of Nigeria only approached us on how to go about setting up the carrier. And we advised that Nigeria needs massive investments to float a national carrier.”

“Nigeria, being the largest country in Africa, cannot afford not to have a national carrier that competes, first in Africa, and then the global stage. Again, Nigeria must also have the airport that can accommodate modern aircraft that can drive competition.”

Al Baker also said Qatar Airways will not fly into Abuja or other routes in Nigeria so as not to kill the domestic airlines in the country.