The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, says the Federal Government may move to seize the assets of Dana Air in order to refund passengers and airline agents who have trapped funds with the carrier.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, Keyamo directed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to create a clear pathway to ensure refunds are paid. He explained that the suspension of the airline was a safety decision, not a commercial judgment.
According to him, multiple reports showed serious safety concerns within the airline’s operations. He said allowing Dana Air to continue flying would have posed a major risk to Nigerian travellers.
Keyamo said he has asked the Acting Director General of the NCAA, Chris Najomo, to investigate and recover all funds owed to passengers and agents. He added that any individual or business linked to Dana Air will not be allowed to re-enter the aviation sector under any guise without settling outstanding debts.
He also suggested that the government may explore selling the airline’s available assets to reimburse affected Nigerians.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has approved extended operating hours—until 10 p.m.—for airports in Owerri, Enugu, Yola and Ilorin. This follows calls by stakeholders to expand flight schedules beyond Lagos and Abuja.
NAMA’s Director General, Ahmed Umar Farouk, said the agency also approved ad hoc operations for Air Peace flights into Anambra and Asaba airports. He added that the President has approved special funds for new NAMA equipment, moving the procurement process away from regular budget cycles.
Farouk noted that NAMA has also deployed a fully functional flight calibration unit and signed agreements with Sierra Leone and Liberia to provide calibration and instrument approach validation services under ICAO standards.
