The Federal Government has announced plans to liquidate the assets of Dana Air in order to repay thousands of passengers and travel agents still owed refunds more than a year after the airline’s operating licence was suspended.

Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo, speaking at a stakeholder forum in Abuja, said the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has been directed to investigate why trapped funds have not been returned and to pursue every legal option—including the forced sale of aircraft, equipment, and other property—to ensure passengers are compensated. “They can’t just get away with it,” Keyamo declared, adding that any attempt by the airline’s owners to re-enter the aviation sector under a new name or entity would be blocked until all debts are cleared.

Dana Air’s Air Operator Certificate was suspended on April 24, 2024, following a runway excursion involving one of its ageing MD‑82 aircraft at Lagos airport and subsequent safety and financial audits. Keyamo described the suspension as “a choice between safety and disaster,” stressing that continued operations could have endangered lives.

NCAA Acting Director-General Capt. Chris Najomo, represented by Dr. Ben Omogo, reported that between January and September 2025, 9,529 passengers across various airlines received refunds or compensation, with 80 per cent of complaints resolved on the spot. He added that 11 enforcement actions and nine sanctions were issued for consumer-protection violations during the same period.

While the NCAA has not disclosed the exact amount Dana Air owes, industry sources estimate the figure runs into billions of naira, affecting both individual ticket holders and numerous travel agencies. Passengers and agents have repeatedly complained of being unable to recover money for flights cancelled after the airline’s abrupt grounding.

Keyamo’s pledge to “cannibalise their revenue and pay people” marks the strongest official commitment yet to resolve the long-running saga, which has left many travellers stranded financially and exposed gaps in Nigeria’s passenger-protection mechanisms when carriers collapse.