The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has clarified the reasons behind the United States Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) decision to remove Nigeria from its Category One Status under the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) programme. According to the NCAA, the delisting was primarily due to the absence of Nigerian airlines operating direct flights to the United States for over two years.
Acting Director General of the NCAA, Captain Chris Najomo, explained that to maintain Category One Status, a country’s airlines must either provide direct services to the U.S. or carry the code of a U.S. operator within a two-year period. “No Nigerian operator has provided service into the United States using a Nigerian-registered aircraft within the two years preceding September 2022,” he stated. “It was expected that Nigeria would be delisted, as were other countries in similar situations.”
Nigeria first achieved Category One Status in August 2010 after a rigorous assessment process that spanned five years. The country successfully retained this status following subsequent FAA safety assessments in 2014 and 2017. However, with the FAA’s updated regulations effective from September 2022, countries without active airlines operating to the U.S. are subject to delisting.
Captain Najomo emphasized that the delisting does not indicate any deficiencies in Nigeria’s aviation safety or security oversight. “Nigeria has undergone comprehensive safety and security audits by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and recorded no significant safety or security concerns,” he noted. He also mentioned that Nigerian carriers could still operate flights to the U.S. by wet-leasing aircraft from countries that currently hold Category One Status.
In response to the situation, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has initiated efforts to empower local airlines and enhance their capabilities. This includes engaging with major aircraft manufacturers and lessors to facilitate the acquisition of aircraft through dry leases. Recent visits to Airbus in France and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Boeing in the United States are part of these initiatives.
Captain Najomo reassured that the NCAA remains committed to adhering to international aviation safety and security standards. “We respect the sovereignty of other states, including the United States, as enshrined in the Convention on International Civil Aviation,” he said. “With the proactive steps being taken by the minister and the NCAA, we are optimistic that Nigeria will soon regain and sustain its Category One Status.”
