Ibrahim Kana assumes office as aviation ministry’s perm sec, says national carrier will be birthed soon

January 7, 2025 10:09 pm

Ibrahim Kana assumes office as aviation ministry's perm sec, says national carrier will be birthed soon

Ibrahim Kana, the new permanent secretary, federal ministry of aviation and aerospace development, and Emmanuel Meribole, the former permanent secretary, during the handover ceremony at the ministry in Abuja.

Abubakar Kana, the newly appointed permanent secretary of the ministry of aviation and aerospace development, says his goal is to ensure that a national air carrier is established.

Kana spoke on Tuesday during the handover ceremony organised by the ministry, according to a statement by Odutayo Oluseyi, head of public affairs unit.

Speaking at the event, Kana, who was the former permanent secretary of the ministry of defence, said he has been given the mandate to accomplish the objectives of the current administration.

He said a national air carrier will “soon be birthed” and the airports across the country will be revamped.

The permanent secretary said his priority was to work closely with Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation, in the “actualisation of Nigeria national carrier as well as upgrade of the airports across Nigeria to international standard”.

“Resources are scarce, we need to embrace the private sector to support Nigeria Aviation industry,” the permanent secretary added.

Kana said he believes in doing new things and appealed to all the agencies of the ministry to support the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

In 2023, the ministry of aviation, under Hadi Sirika, unveiled Nigeria Air — three days before the end of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

The development had elicited concerns among stakeholders nationwide over the ownership arrangement, which gave Ethiopian Airlines a 49 percent stake, the government a 5 percent stake, and a consortium of three Nigerian investors had 46 percent.

Reacting to the deal in June 2023, the house of representatives asked the government to suspend the operations of Nigeria Air, describing it as “a fraud”.

In August 2023, Keyamo announced the national carrier project was suspended until further notice.

A year later, a federal high court sitting in Lagos state nullified the sale of 49 percent equity stake in Nigeria Air to Ethiopian Airlines.