Joint Western & Central African (WACAF) Office and - ICAO

STATE PROFILE — NIGERIA
Dana Air
Increasing demand has encouraged new
players to enter the Nigerian aviation market.
Dana Group is one such participant which
has expanded from its pharmaceutical base
to become a new and major player in trade
and industry. It is also now entering the air
transport sector with the launch of Dana Air.
The company’s vision is to be recognized
and respected as Nigeria’s most reliable and
customer-friendly airline. Jacky Hathiramani,
Chief Executive Officer of Dana Air, says the
airline is committed to delivering the highest
quality of service onboard its aircraft, making
huge investments in staff training.
“At Dana Air, our most prized asset is our
staff, and we have stringent recruitment
procedures to ensure that only the best
join our team,” he commented. “Dana
has committed its staff to a programme
26 REGIONAL REpORt - AFRICA - 2011
of continuous re-training and teamed up
with Iberia for key resources in this regard.”
Despite various challenges, Dana Air is
also hoping to expand operations to more
Nigerian cities in the coming months.
“We are committed to the development of
the Nigerian aviation industry,” stressed
Hathiramani. “We will embrace economic
growth and promote tourism.”
IRS Airlines
IRS Airlines has remained a resilient and
modest player in the Nigerian domestic
airline market since 2003. Currently, the
airline is a visible and dependable operator at
the country’s airports in Lagos, Abuja, Kano,
Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, Yola and Enugu.
IRS is gradually but steadily growing into a
major stakeholder in the air travel market
through operational consistency, utilizing a
mix of Fokker and Embraer aircraft as well
as a staff featuring skilled technical and
administrative personnel who were drawn
from various areas across the industry.
Overland Airways
Overland began scheduled domestic
passenger services in 2003. It has since
continued to carve a niche for itself as a
dependable shuttle operator, linking not
just Abuja and Lagos with several other
airports, but also establishing an important
Northern and Western route network
connecting other Nigerian cities. This
network comprises Kano, Kastina, Jos,
Minna, Ibadan and Akure, while charter
flights are operated mainly to Central
and West African destinations.
Overland operates a new fleet featuring
Beechcraft and ATR turboprops.