On Tuesday, various media outlets reported that the newly appointed permanent secretary indicated he had been directed by President Bola Tinubu to recommence the national air carrier initiative.
However, in a statement released on Wednesday, Kana, who took office earlier that week, asserted that he had "received no such instruction."
“Since my inaugural statement on Monday at the hand-over ceremony, I have been inundated with inquiries about my reference to the revival of the National Carrier Project,” he said.
“For the avoidance of doubt I never said that there is a mandate to revive the botched Nigeria Air deal with Ethiopian airline.
“I received no such instruction. I was only referring to the general vision of the Administration to still consider a National Carrier Project if it is favourable to the country and under the guidance and directives of Mr. President and the Honourable Minister of Aviation.
“I hope this clarifies all the ambiguities surrounding my earlier statement on this issue.”
Kana reaffirmed his dedication to assisting Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, in promoting the growth of the sector.
“I pledge absolute loyalty to the Honourable Minister and remain dedicated to working closely with him to drive the Ministry’s agenda forward,” he said.
The permanent secretary also emphasized that the administration's strategy for the aviation sector would focus on fostering innovation.
He expressed that the future of aviation in Nigeria is "promising, innovative, and aligned with the aspirations of our great nation."
In August 2023, Keyamo declared that the national carrier project had been put on hold until further notice.