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‘I Never Said Nigeria Air Will Be Revived’ — Aviation Ministry Perm Sec

Kehinde Fajobi

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Ibrahim Kana, has clarified his remarks on the National Carrier Project, dispelling speculation about the revival of the Nigeria Air deal with Ethiopian Airlines.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Kana addressed misunderstandings from comments he made earlier at the ministry’s handover ceremony.

“For the avoidance of doubt, I never said that there is a mandate to revive the botched Nigeria Air deal with Ethiopian Airlines,” Kana stated.

“I received no such instruction. I was only referring to the general vision of the administration to consider a National Carrier Project if it is favourable to the country and under the guidance and directives of Mr President and the Honourable Minister of Aviation.”

Kana’s clarification comes amidst growing public interest in Nigeria’s aviation sector, especially following controversies surrounding the Nigeria Air project.

Reaffirming his dedication to the ministry’s goals, Kana pledged support to his minister.

“I pledge absolute loyalty to the Honourable Minister and remain dedicated to working closely with him to drive the Ministry’s agenda forward.

“Together, we will ensure that the future of aviation in Nigeria is bright, innovative, and reflective of the aspirations of our great nation,” he said.

This clarification follows Kana’s earlier remarks upon his appointment as Permanent Secretary, where he reportedly emphasised President Bola Tinubu’s directives.

“While receiving my deployment letter, I was given very clear instructions with two tasks to achieve within this period, by His Excellency, Mr President.

“One, to ensure that Air Nigeria comes to be. Two, to sanitise our airports across the country. All of us will agree that there is no better time to have an Air Nigeria than now,” he had said.