Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority Suspends Dana Airlines’ Air Operator Certificate

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) suspended the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) of Dana Airlines over safety concerns.

The announcement was made on Wednesday by the NCAA Acting Director General Chris Najomo in Abuja, noting that the airline posed "elevated safety concerns," Premium Times reported.

"As a precautionary step, and in accordance with Sec 31 (7) of the Civil Aviation Act 2022, the Authority has imposed a suspension on your Air Operator Certificate (AOC) with effect from 24th April 2024 at 23:59 to allow for a thorough safety and economic audit," Najomo said.

The immediate suspension came just one day after a Dana Air aircraft (MD82 with registration marks 5SN-BKI) encountered a runway incursion on Tuesday upon landing at the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos from Abuja.

Following the incident, the airline reported that all 83 passengers and crew members aboard the aircraft were safely evacuated.

"We are relieved to confirm that all 83 passengers and crew onboard the flight disembarked safely without injuries or fear as the crew handled the situation with utmost professionalism," the airline said via social media platform, X (formerly known as Twitter) on Tuesday.

This is not the first time the NCAA had to suspend this airline's AOC over safety violations. In 2022, Dana Airlines' operations were suspended following a negative outcome of a financial and economic health audit conducted by the regulatory authority.

At that time, the NCAA said that an investigation into the airline's flight operations revealed it was unable to meet financial obligations and ensure safe flight operations.

After the recent incident, the NCAA said the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has started its investigation.

"While the NSIB is conducting the safety investigation, the NCAA has initiated an in-house compliance assessment of this occurrence taking into account previous occurrences involving DANA Air aircraft," the NCAA said.

It added, "This is in a bid to establish any trend which must be nipped in the bud in the interest of the safety and well-being of our citizens and travelers."

Aside from the aviation authority, the minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo also expressed his concern and supported the NCAA's swift action to address critical safety and economic issues that might contribute to such incidents in the future.