The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has cautioned that any reduction in its statutory share of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) could weaken Nigeria’s aviation safety oversight by limiting the regulator’s ability to carry out critical certification, surveillance and enforcement functions.
The warning comes amid a proposed amendment before the National Assembly seeking to reduce the NCAA’s allocation from the TSC in favour of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA). The proposal has sparked growing concerns across the aviation industry, with stakeholders arguing that the regulator’s financial independence is vital to maintaining safety standards.
Speaking in Abuja, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, said the authority relies heavily on the TSC to fund its statutory responsibilities, noting that further cuts would erode its operational capacity at a time when regulatory oversight requires increased investment.
According to him, while the NCAA serves as the country’s safety regulator, NAMA was established to operate as a self-sustaining air navigation service provider with its own revenue streams.
“The NCAA needs more funding, not less,” Achimugu said. “The Federal Government already makes deductions from the Authority’s allocation before it is received. Any further reduction in our cost-recovery funds is unnecessary and could affect our ability to effectively regulate the industry.”
He stressed that aviation regulators worldwide require adequate and predictable funding because of their responsibility to oversee safety, certify operators, inspect aircraft and ensure compliance with international standards.
Achimugu maintained that Nigeria’s improved safety record and strong performance in international aviation safety and security audits were the result of sustained regulatory oversight, adding that inspectors must remain better trained and equipped than the operators they supervise.
“If inspectors do not possess superior technical knowledge, they cannot effectively enforce safety standards,” he said, attributing improvements in passenger protection and aviation safety to the NCAA’s regulatory activities.
He also dismissed reports suggesting that the authority was indebted to NAMA, explaining that statutory allocations to aviation agencies are processed directly by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) rather than by the NCAA.
“The NCAA does not make remittances directly to any agency. The CBN handles that process, and from our checks, the remittances are being processed. Therefore, the issue of the NCAA owing anybody does not arise,” he stated.
Achimugu disclosed that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, is already engaging stakeholders to resolve the dispute and urged interested parties to avoid inflammatory public statements while consultations continue.
The latest intervention follows similar concerns raised by aviation professionals, who argue that weakening the financial base of the country’s primary safety regulator could have long-term implications for regulatory independence, inspector training and the overall safety of Nigeria’s aviation industry.
