Chris Najomo, acting Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), issued a statement clarifying the situation.

Najomo explained that while Nigeria was granted Category One status under the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program in 2010, it was re-evaluated and passed the US Federal Aviation Administration’s assessments in 2014 and 2017.

However, Nigeria was de-listed in 2022 due to failure to meet certain permit requirements.

He emphasized that this de-listing does not indicate any safety or security deficiencies within Nigeria’s oversight system, noting that comprehensive ICAO Safety and Security Audits have found no Significant Safety Concern (SSC) or Significant Security Concern (SSeC).

Najomo also pointed out that Nigerian operators can still access US markets through aircraft wet-leased from countries with current Category One status.

The statement clarified that the inability of Nigerian airlines to meet specific requirements for direct service to the US led to the de-listing, not issues related to safety or security.

It reaffirmed the NCAA’s commitment to adhering to international safety and security standards while respecting national sovereignty over airspace.

Captain Chris Najomo, the Acting Director General of NCAA, emphasized the caution in response to a weather report from the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) predicting the propagation of dust haze.

NiMet’s weather outlook forecasts moderate dust haze with horizontal visibility ranging from 2km to 5km over the North.

The agency anticipates similar conditions over the North Central, with localized horizontal visibility potentially dropping to less than or equal to 1000m. Dust haze is also expected over the inland areas of the South and the coastal region during the forecast period.

The advisory from NCAA emphasizes the need for airline operators to stay updated on weather reports and forecasts from NiMet for effective planning in their operations.

Passengers are urged to exercise patience and understanding during this period, prioritizing safety.

This cautionary message from the regulatory body follows the recent suspension of Mattini Airline Services Ltd’s permit after a runway excursion incident involving a Challenger CL 601 aircraft.

The NCAA has initiated investigations and a safety and economic audit of all private jet operations in Nigeria, underscoring its commitment to safety and adherence to global best practices.

The General Manager, Public Affairs of NCAA, Sam Adurogboye, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Monday.

Recall that the Special Adviser Lagos State Governor on Public Private Partnerships (PPP),  Ope George, on Thursday expressed the state’s readiness to construct a new airport on the Lekki axis.

George revealed that the Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led government had sought and obtained approval from the Federal Government for the construction of the new airport in Lagos.

He said thst the project, expected to take off in 2023, would be constructed on 3,500 hectares of land.

Reacting to the development, Adurigboye assured that the aviation regulatory body would monitor the project from beginning to end when the time comes.

“NCAA is not opposed to developmental strides, and the initial approval comes from the Federal Ministry of Aviation, while NCAA also gives its approval.

“We will also supervise it from beginning to the end and certify it okay before the usage of the airport” he said.

Adurogboye said building an airport around the axis meant infrastructure development, which was good for the economy, the community and the state where it is situated.

A check on the website of the airline currently revealed that all flights to and from different routes have been cancelled, The Punch reports.

The suspension is coming few months after the NCAA suspended the AOC of Dana Air over frequent incidents.

Director General of NCAA, Capt Musa Nuhu, and Managing Director of FAAN, Capt Rabiu Yadudu, who spoke at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on the sidelines of the tour of the terminal by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, debunked rumor of increasing landing and parking charges payable by foreign and domestic airlines.

Capt Nuhu stressed that the report is “completely and outright false”, adding that the NCAA can’t increase charges without the stakeholders’ input.

He said; “As the DG of NCAA, I am not aware and I have not authorised any charge increase. Misinformation is creating a lot of problems. The truth of the matter is that the last time NCAA increased its charges was 10 years ago.

“If we were charging N5,000 about 10 years ago and we are still charging that, then you calculate the inflationary pressures. We are not recovering our costs. We are providing services and subsidising them.

“We understand the difficulties facing the industry now, but going forward, we have to sit down and review it because NCAA does not get any money from the federal government. All our revenues are internally generated, and we need this to provide the appropriate services for the safety, security and efficient service delivery to the public.”

FAAN MD on the other hand said the last time the authority increased landing and parking charges was in 2002 for foreign airlines and in 2012 for domestic airlines.

He said; “The media report that FAAN increased landing and parking across Nigeria is wrong and misleading. FAAN has not increased landing and parking fees since 2002 for international operators.Domestic landing and parking fees were last reviewed by FAAN in 2012 when tickets were being sold for N6,000, and now they are being sold for much more. There are more than enough reasons for FAAN to increase the fees, but we have not.”

It stated that the inaugural air ambulance return flight took place recently when the agency’s aircraft airlifted some officials from Abuja to Jigawa State and back to the Federal Capital Territory.

The agency disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja by its spokesperson, Ezekiel Manzo on Tuesday.

“NEMA Air Ambulance has resumed operations after successful routine maintenance and completion of all civil aviation requirements.

“An official inaugural return flight was held as the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, and Director-General, NEMA, Mustapha Ahmed, were conveyed from Abuja to Dutse, Jigawa State on official engagement.”

In 2014, NEMA introduced its first air ambulance for emergency health care. The airplane, which was inaugurated at the Trauma Centre of the National Hospital, Abuja, was for quick transportation of patients with emergency cases.

The then Chief Pilot and Head of NEMA Special Wing, Capt. Ibrahim Mamman, had stated that the project was part of the transformation agenda of the Federal Government at the time.

“The air ambulance can be used to transport patients with critical and traumatic health situations from anywhere the individual is,” Mamman had said.

“As a matter of fact, the jet can go anywhere in the world. It has a mile range of 3,000 miles.”

However, in 2018 operations of the air ambulance service were grounded after it was due to routine maintenance and regulatory requirement.

The agency stated on Tuesday that following changes in leadership, the repair of the aircraft was completed last year and returned from France.

“This year the present management finalised all regulatory requirements in returning the aircraft to its ambulance operations,” the agency stated.

Nigeria Air is the country’s proposed national carrier, led by Captain Dapo Olumide.

An ATL certification is a document that states the kinds of operations a carrier will embark on scheduled, non-scheduled, cargo air services within and outside Nigeria.

This licence precedes the Air Operator’s Certificate which empowers the airline to operate scheduled commercial flights.

The ATL signed by the Director-General of the NCAA, Captain Musa Nuhu, will run for a period of five (5)years from June 3rd, 2022 to June 2nd, 2027.

The new national airline is expected to provide scheduled and non-scheduled services. It is one of the licenses received by airlines before they can commence operation just as they await the all-important Air Operator

Certificate (AOC) that fully guarantees them the right to begin air services.

Nigeria Air Limited, the country’s proposed national carrier had in April 2022 applied to the NCAA for a license to operate scheduled and non-scheduled passenger and cargo service.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is expected to present the license to the interim management of the airline at the headquarters of the aviation regulatory body in Abuja.

The Ministry of Aviation made this known in a tweet post on its Instagram handle @fmaviationng.

“The @NigerianCAA will on Monday, June 6th, 2022 present the Air Transport License (ATL) to the interim management of the #NigeriaAir, Nigeria’s national carrier at the NCAA’s Corporate headquarters, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja,” the tweet reads.

The new national airline is expected to provide scheduled and non-scheduled services. It is one of the licenses received by airlines before they can commence operation just as they await the all-important Air Operator Certificate (AOC) that fully guarantees them the right to begin air services.

The airlines operator issued the threat to go on strike by Friday this week,  as a result of the high cost of aviation fuel ( Jet – A1).

The Senator Smart Adeyemi, All Progressives Congress, APC, Kogi West led Senate Committee on Aviation, however in an emergency meeting yesterday has pleaded  with the Operators to reconsider their decision.

But the operators led by their Chairman, Alhaji Abdulmunaf Yunusa during the meeting yesterday with the Senate Committee on Aviation, reiterated that they would go on strike if nothing is done to save the stressful situation, Airline Operators will withdraw their services by Friday morning.

Alhaji Yunusa who spoke along with the Chairman, United Nigeria Airline,  Mr Obiora Okonkwo who noted that they cannot cope with the high cost of operation worsened by an upsurge in the price of Aviation fuel said, “based on the cost component of Airline operation in Nigeria today, the actual price for the ticket of one hour flight is N150,000 which is being subsidised to N50,000 per passenger.

“We are not sure yet that we would not carry out our plans to shut down operations on Friday because up till now the marketers have not started selling fuel at N500.

“They are still selling at N670 and we cannot continue to subsidise because doing so would make us run out of business.

“We are overburdened by this ticket subsidy and heavily indebted to Banks with consequences of running out of business if required actions are not taken.”

On his part, Senator Adeyemi who appealed to the Airline Operators to give the Senate and by extension, the National Assembly a few days to wade into the matter through interface with the Federal Government,  said that the issue will be raised on the floor of the Senate during plenary on Wednesday for the purposes of making the Federal Government give the operators, expected bailout.

Adeyemi said, “Your threat to stop flying from Friday this week, is too tough an order. Aviation is life and there is no way the Senate and government generally will allow such to happen.

“Your complaints are genuine and will surely be looked into. The Senate would intervene to ensure that the airline operators carry out their activities with minimal pain.

“The senate president and all senators are very worried by the threat from the operators and the Senate would not keep quiet over the matter.

“We would ensure that the executive does the needful to release bailout to the airline operators it pays all of us to make the aviation fuel very robust.

“Please give us some time for the Senate to see what we can achieve. So we want you to extend your ultimatum to the down tool. Er, would ensure that you get the required palliative so that there won’t be a crisis.”

Also at the meeting were representatives of the Director-General of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA), Captain Chris Najomo, Secretary Airline Operators, Mr Zamani Solomon etc.

NCAA Director-General, Musa Nuhu, disclosed this in a statement titled, “NCAA Suspends Azman Air Operations With Immediate Effect.”

Nuhu in the statement added that the suspension of the Air Operations is to enable the Authority to conduct an audit of the airline.

“Following series of incidents involving Azman Air Boeing 737 Aircraft, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has pursuant to Section 35 (2) of the Civil Aviation Act, 2006 and Part 1.3.3.3 (A) of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) 2015, suspended the operations of all the Boeing 737 Aircraft in the Fleet of Azman Air Services Limited, with effect from March 15, 2021.

“The suspension is to enable the Authority conduct an audit of the airline to determine the root cause(s) of the incidents, and recommend corrective actions to forestall re-occurrence,” the statement read in part.

Confirming the suspension of all its flight operations, Azman Air tweeted on Tuesday: “Due to our strong stance on safety, @AzmanAir will be undergoing an audit of its safety processes as supervised by the regulators.

“In this regards, all our operations is hereby suspended. We are on our toes to restore operations within a short period. Kindly accept our apologies.”