Dana Air unfit for flight in 2022, says Aviation Minister

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has revealed that a 2022 Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) audit found that Dana Air was financially and economically unfit to fly.

Keyamo said this during an interview on ‘Politics Today’ on Channels Television on Thursday.

According to the 2022 NCAA audit Dana Air’s operational health was critically compromised, which led to the suspension of its air transport and operator certificates.

According to Keyami, the audit indicated that financial troubles at Dana Air peaked as liabilities overwhelmed assets, which resulted in the suspension of crucial aviation certificates.

Also, the audit revealed that Dana Air had been dealing with negative equity since 2018, a persistent financial struggle that led to the suspension of its operating licenses in 2022.

“So, there were internal reports before I came which noted a series of infractions by Dana Air,” Keyamo said when asked about Dana Air’s health status, following the airline’s recent suspension by NCAA over a runway incursion incident at the Lagos airport on Tuesday.

READ ALSO: Dana Air refunds passengers as NCAA announces suspension 

“The conclusion of the report was they (Dana Air) were not healthy enough to fly.”

Keyamo noted that how Dana Air was able to regain its license to operate remains a mystery to him.

“How they (Dana Air) did it. How thoroughly they did it before they were given the okay to start flying again. We don’t know. They have not convinced me.”

He added that he will actively supervise regulatory bodies, such as the NCAA, particularly with the recent launch of Dana Air’s financial and safety audit.

In the early hours of Tuesday, 23 April 2024, Dana Air with registration number 5NBKI with about 83 passengers on board crash-landed at the Muritala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

Luckily, all passengers on board disembarked unhurt without injuries.

Following the incident, the aviation minister directed the NCAA to implement the suspension on Dana Air over safety concerns.