A Dana Air aircraft registered 5N-BKI skidded off the runway while landing at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on the evening of 23 April 2024. All 83 people on board were evacuated without injury, though the aircraft itself sustained significant damage. The incident forced the temporary closure of Runway 18L/36R while FAAN's emergency response team worked to recover the aircraft from the site.
FAAN confirmed the following morning that the runway had been reopened for flight operations at 19:58 hours on 24 April, roughly a day after the incident, following completion of the recovery and safety checks.
Minister Orders Immediate Suspension
In response to the incident, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo directed the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority to immediately suspend Dana Air's operations while it carried out a comprehensive safety and financial audit of the airline. The suspension grounded one of Nigeria's longer-established carriers, which had previously weathered a similar suspension in 2022 following a separate safety and financial review under the Buhari administration.
Aviation analysts noted that the runway excursion added to a difficult year for the airline, coming as Nigerian carriers more broadly struggled with high maintenance costs, foreign exchange volatility and a shrinking pool of serviceable aircraft that had left several airlines flying reduced fleets on domestic routes throughout 2024.
Grounded Operations
Dana Air's operations remained suspended in the aftermath of the audit process, with the airline later citing a successful NCAA audit and a management restructuring as the basis for any eventual resumption of services. The episode renewed scrutiny of ageing aircraft maintenance practices among Nigerian domestic carriers at a time when currency pressures were making it increasingly difficult for airlines to fund overseas maintenance checks.
