A new indigenous airline company, Rano Air, has flagged off its flight operations in Kano State with five aircraft to fly from Kano to Abuja to Lagos and other destinations within Nigeria.
The airline company, owned by Kano-born petroleum mogul, Auwalu Abdullahi Rano, popularly known as AA Rano, came into being after three years of preparation.
Speaking at the grand flag off ceremony at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport
(MAKIA), the Project Director of the airline, Barr Usman Mohammad Oloje, disclosed that the project started in 2020.
Oloje explained that in 2020, when AA Rano, who is the Chairman of the Rano Group of Companies, developed the idea of establishing an airline business and instructed him (Oloje) to incorporate and register an airline with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and facilitate its formation and operations.
He said, “Alhamdulillah! All the five aircraft have been fully maintained with the very high standards set by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and in compliance with ICAO and other international civil aviation monitoring organisations and regulations and have been passed by NCAA for use by the public.”
He assured Nigerians of quality service and commitment to excellence and convenience, saying, “Rano Air will treat Nigerians like royalty in fulfillment of its desire to create a new and exciting flying experience, as Nigerians will in no distant future be able to fly directly without a stopover from Kano, Abuja and Lagos to all the viable airports in Nigeria in comfort and on schedule.”
In his remarks, Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, said the establishment of the airline was history repeating itself as the first aircraft in Nigeria landed in Kano State.
The governor said the airline would be a viable business that would boost commercial activities of Kano and by extension Northern states.
Earlier, Alhaji AA Rano expressed gratitude to Allah for making the business come to fruition.
He thanked Ganduje and his administration for their support towards the success of the company.