The Federal Government may move to recover the assets of Dana Air to refund passengers and airline agents whose funds remain trapped following the suspension of the carrier’s operations, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has said.
Keyamo disclosed this yesterday in Abuja at the fourth-quarter stakeholder engagement on improving governance and service delivery in the aviation sector, themed “Leveraging Public Feedback to Drive Excellence in Aviation Services.”
The minister said he had directed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to investigate why refunds had not been issued despite the prolonged suspension of the airline’s operations.
According to him, the NCAA’s decision to ground Dana Air was “a choice between safety and disaster,” insisting that damning reports on the airline’s operations left the authorities with no alternative.
“The priority was safety,” Keyamo said. “We looked at the reports on the table about their safety record and lack of standards that put Nigerians’ lives at risk. If they continued flying, many of us could have been victims. God forbid.”
He said the government would not allow the airline or its owners to abandon financial obligations while attempting to re-enter the sector under a different guise.
“One solution will be that if the same individuals or entities attempt to return to aviation—whether by registering a new Air Operator Certificate (AOC) or setting up any aviation business—they must settle their debts first,” he said.
“We should look at their assets. There are assets still available. Let them sell their assets. Let’s cannibalise their revenue and pay people. NCAA should go after their assets and get money to pay Nigerians who are owed.”
Dana Air’s AOC was suspended on 24 April 2024 following a runway incident involving one of its MD-82 aircraft, prompting the regulator to begin safety and economic audits of the airline.
Speaking on passenger redress, the NCAA Director-General, Capt. Chris Najomo—represented by the Director of Aviation Security Regulations, Dr Ben Omogo—said more than 9,000 passengers had received refunds or compensation between January and September this year.
He noted that “9,529 passengers received refunds or compensation between January and September 2025, with additional claims still under review and being processed in line with regulatory timelines.”
