Business
PH Airport Users React Over Dana Airline Suspension
Stakeholders and users of the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, have reacted to the suspension of flight operations of Dana Airline by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), describing it as very surprising and sudden.
Some of the airport users that spoke to The Tide on the matter said Dana Airline had been one of the major airlines that had sustained regular flight operations and stable prices.
According to them, the airline had remained the very choice of many air passengers, and had enjoyed the patronage of Port Harcourt Airport passengers.
Reacting to this, while interacting with The Tide, one of the passengers, Clifford Igwe, said the suspension came as a surprise to him.
He noted that some procedures ought to have been followed, which ought to be in the public domain, before the pronouncement of suspension.
“I have not heard that Dana airline workers went on strike for non-payment of salaries, or for any other issue that would warrant strike. I have not also heard any threat of Assets Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) to take over Dana Airline management and operations.
“When the Arik airline had issues on management and operations, the AMCON took over the operations uptill now. They were never suspended.
“I think that there is more to the indefinite suspension of the Dana Airline than what they want us to believe, and the earlier they resolve this matter the better, because the workers will be affected, especially at this critical time of hardship and unemployment”, Igwe said.
Also reacting, an airline ticker, Mr Francis Madu, said the Dana group is not an organization that would be referred to as being financially handicapped to operate an airline.
He alleged that some highly connected individuals want to have stake in the Dana Airline, which, he said, had not been successful, adding that the suspension of the airline has reduced the chance the Port Harcourt passengers have to make alternative.
“Other airlines operating at the Port Harcourt Airport will take advantage of the suspension to create scarcity and hike price of ticket”, he said.
The Dana Airline operations was suspended last Wednesday midnight, which caused serious delay on the airline’s flight operations on that same day at the Port Harcourt Airport.
By: Corlins Walter
Edun made the call while speaking at the 2025 Fellowship Investiture of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) in Lagos, where he reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to sustaining ongoing reforms and expanding access to finance as key drivers of economic growth beyond four per cent.
“We all know that monetary policy under Cardoso has stabilised the financial system in a most commendable way. Of course, it is a team effort, and those eye-watering interest rates have to be paid by the fiscal side. But the fight against inflation is one we all have to participate in,” he said.
The minister stressed the need for banks to broaden credit access and finance innovation-driven enterprises that can create jobs for young Nigerians.
“The finance and banking industry has more work to do because we must finance their ideas, deepen the capital and credit markets down to SMEs. They should not have to go to Silicon Valley,” he said.
The minister who described the private sector as the engine of growth, said the government’s reform agenda aims to create an enabling environment where businesses can thrive, access funding, and contribute meaningfully to job creation.
The facility, known as the Nigeria Actions for Investment and Jobs Acceleration (P512892), is a Development Policy Financing (DPF) operation scheduled for World Bank Board consideration on December 16, 2025.
According to the Bank’s concept note , the financing would comprise $500m in International Development Association (IDA) credit and $500m in International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) loan.
If approved, it would be the second-largest single loan Nigeria has received from the World Bank under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, following the $1.5 billion facility granted in June 2024 under the Reforms for Economic Stabilisation to Enable Transformation (RESET) initiative.
The World Bank said the new programme aims to support Nigeria’s shift from short-term macroeconomic stabilisation to sustainable, private sector–led growth.
“The proposed Development Policy Financing (DPF) supports Nigeria’s pivot from stabilization to inclusive growth and job creation. Structured as a two-tranche standalone operation of US$1.0 billion (US$500 million IDA credit and US$500 million IBRD loan), it seeks to catalyse private sector–led investment by expanding access to credit, deepening capital markets and digital services, easing inflationary pressures, and promoting export diversification,” the document read.
The document further stated that Nigeria’s private sector credit-to-GDP ratio stood at only 21.3 per cent in 2024, significantly below that of emerging-market peers, while capital markets remain shallow, with sovereign securities dominating the bond market.
To address these weaknesses, the DPF will support the implementation of the Investment and Securities Act 2025, operationalisation of credit-enhancement facilities, and introduction of a comprehensive Central Bank of Nigeria rulebook to strengthen risk-based regulation and consumer protection.
The operation also includes measures to deepen digital inclusion through the passage of the National Digital Economy and E-Governance Bill 2025, which will establish a legal framework for electronic transactions, authentication services, and digital records.
Beyond the financial and digital sectors, the programme targets reforms to lower production and living costs by tackling Nigeria’s restrictive trade regime. High tariffs and import bans have long driven up consumer prices and constrained competitiveness, particularly for manufacturers and farmers.
Under the proposed reforms, Nigeria would adopt AfCFTA tariff concessions, rationalise import restrictions, and simplify agricultural seed certification to increase the supply of high-quality varieties for maize, rice, and soybeans. The World Bank projects that these measures will help reduce food inflation, attract private investment, and enhance export potential.
The operation is part of a broader World Bank FY26 package that includes three complementary projects—Fostering Inclusive Finance for MSMEs (FINCLUDE), Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth (BRIDGE), and Nigeria Sustainable Agricultural Value-Chains for Growth (AGROW)—all focused on expanding access to finance, strengthening institutions, and mobilising private capital.