Abdullahi Rano: Meet The Billionaire Businessman Behind New Nigerian Airline Rano Air

The Nigerian aviation industry is set for a boost as new entrant Rano Air makes its debut. This is coming on the heels of its Air Transport License (ATL) approval by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. The airline had applied for the license earlier in January after its earlier request was not granted.

Following the approval, the airline reportedly secured four EMB-145LRs aircraft to begin operations this year. 

The journey has obviously not been easy as the airline had previously applied to the NCAA for an ATL license in mid-2020 to operate scheduled and non-scheduled passenger and cargo services within and outside Nigeria.

Rano Air is entering the aviation space at a time the sector is fraught with a number of challenges as airlines continually battle high cost of aviation fuel leading to hike in fares and a generally challenging operating environment.

The Brand Behind Rano Air 

Rano Air is a brand of the A.A. Rano Group, a business empire owned by Kano business man, Alhaji Auwalu Abdullahi Rano. The company is a multi-billion naira business empire that has business concerns that cuts across various sectors of the Nigerian economy.

The business empire has companies in the oil and gas industry which includes exploration and production, refining, distribution, marketing, and trading of petroleum products, haulage and cargo logistic services. 

The downstream giant stands tall among other players within Nigeria’s downstream sector that has successfully weathered the storms in that sector. The company has a well-functioning tank farm, with an haulage strength of more than 600 trucks and a well placed distribution network. It also has more than 120 filling stations for petrol retailing across the country

The Man Behind The A.A. Rano Brand

Alhaji Auwalu Abdullahi Rano is the Chairman/CEO, A.A Rano Group. He is a Kano-born business mogul who is well known within the business circles but who has successfully maintained a quiet profile for himself. He is a man known for his midas touch and business acumen as well as philanthropic gestures. 

With such a business conglomerate, it is not a wonder that he is doing something right. His businesses have contributed and continue to contribute immensely to the economy of Nigeria.

From a humble beginning having been born to an average family in Lausa Village, Rano LGA of Kano State, he was born on June 9th 1944. He started off with the sales of ice block and groundnut oil along with other local items and has gone on to transform this into a multi-billion naira empire with business concerns in major sectors of the Nigerian economy.

As a young entrepreneur, he started the business of marketing and distribution of petroleum products in 1994, built his first retail outlets in Kano State in 1996, and incorporated A. A Rano Nigeria Limited in the Year 2002.

Due to his vast experiences in the oil sector, Rano has been partnering with Nigeria’s leading petroleum corporations, NNPC and NLNG. He also owns about one hundred gas stations in Nigeria, and has a genuine passion for real estate and manufacturing. 

He is currently one of the richest residents in Kano State, Nigeria, as well as one the most powerful businessmen in the petroleum industry around the world.

 As part of his company’s strategic plans to grow its business, the company has acquired a new vessel, commissioned a 56 million litre tank facility, and constructed a 20,000-metric-tonne LPG plant in Lagos.