Aviation: NCAA Assures of Secured Airspace, Sustainable Aviation Fuel, Access to Dry-lease Airlines
Safe and secured airspace, development and deployment of Sustainable, low carbon and cleaner Aviation Fuel and ensuring access to dry-lease airlines as well as commenced Safety and Economic Audit Of All Private Jet Operations In Nigeria are the major highlights of targets of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA during year 2024.
NCAA has also automated most processes of its operations. The flight data center was established to ensure in prevention of accidents and collating data.
During 2024, the Acting Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA Captain Chris Najomo gave the assurance of a safe and secured airspace as there reporting a Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria, as indicated by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA.
Captain Najomo gave the assurance while reacting to allegations that Nigerian airspace was insecure due to lack of radar coverage.
He pointed out that NCAA had investigated two recent cases of violations of the prohibited flight zones in Abuja and established that both violations had been drawn to statements insinuating that the Nigerian airspace was insecure due to lack of coverage by Radar.
The Authority assured the flying public and Nigerians that it firmly aligns with the statement from the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) on the Total Radar Coverage Of Nigeria (TRACON).
In furtherance to this, NCAA investigated two recent cases of violation of the prohibited flights zones – DNP4- in Abuja and established that both violations comprised of controlled flights in a controlled airspace, but strayed into restricted airspace as a result of adverse weather.
The Authority also confirmed that NAMA had complete radar footages of the two violations with details of the identities of the aircraft and operators involved. This was made possible due to functional Primary and Secondary Surveillance Radars in Abuja. Similar installations are in Lagos, Kano and Port-Harcourt.
According to NCAA Director General, the Primary Surveillance Radar alone only identifies aircraft as moving targets without aircraft identity. The Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar (MSSR), on the other hand, which forms a major component of the TRACON, is the equipment that allows for identification of any aircraft equipped with ATC Mode ‘S’transponder.
The Authority explained that the requirement for all aircraft flying in controlled airspace to have serviceable ATC transponders in an international standard that Nigeria ensures strict adherence to. This requirement derived from Annex 6 to the Convention on International Aviation is documented in Part 7 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations.
It stated that this, therefore, makes it a violation of the regulations, and indeed a security breach, for any aircraft to put this system off while flying in controlled airspace, and such action would attract appropriate sanctions in accordance with NCAA’s enforcement procedures, including possible criminal referral.
On the improvement of Nigeria’s aviation infrastructure, the Authority explained that Nigeria’s Radar coverage is being backed up with five additional MSSR stations at Obubbra, Ilorin, Talata Mafara, Maiduguri and Numan to augment the four existing Radar centers to achieve total coverage of the country.
The NCAA stressed that NAMA in coordination with the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development had been working on system upgrade of the Communication, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) infrastructure.
Also, during the year, the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development announced it’s collaboration with the National Council on Climate Change, NCCC and the European Aviation Safety Agency, EASA on the development and deployment of Sustainable Aviation Fuel, SAF, Low Carbon Aviation Fuel and other cleaner fuels in Nigeria.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, represented by the Director General, NCAA, Captain Chris Najomo announced this during the 2nd Consultative Stakeholders Engagement on Cleaner fuels in Abuja.
Sustainable Aviation Fuels, SAF are biofuels produced from renewable resources. They are designed to be used in jet engines without requiring modifications. Examples of SAF include: Bio-based Fuels, derived from agricultural residues. Synthetic Fuels, produced through chemical processes and Waste-derived Fuels, generated from municipal solid waste, used cooking oil, and other waste materials.
The Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority NCAA explained that such cleaner fuels hold significant promise for reducing the environmental impact of air travel.
Captain Najomo emphasized the need for strengthened collaboration with relevant partners.
Another major milestone by the Aviation Ministry last year was the Federal Government’s implementation of the Capetown Convention Protocol on Deregistration.
Nigeria is a signatory to the Irrevocable Deregistration and Export Request Authorization, IDERA which is part of the Capetown Convention and Associated Aircraft Protocol that came into operation in the United Kingdom in November, 2015.
During the signing of an updated copy of the document by the Acting Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA in Abuja, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo said the updated document indicates that within five days, aircrafts could be retrieved from Nigeria.
Mr. Keyamo pointed out that before now, Nigeria had been rated low and blacklisted, but with the updated IDERA, the Country has taken its rightful place in the sector.
The aim was to reduce the cost of raising finances for high valued mobile assets that cross borders.
The Acting Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Captain Chris Najomo explained that the impact of the Convention enabled the registered owners to request for an IDERA over eligible aircrafts and obtain it within five days.
Captain Najomo explained that such achievement would give Nigeria airline operators access to dry-lease airlines and boost their operational capacities.
Another significant achievement of the NCAA was the commencement of Safety and Economic Audit Of All Private Jet operations in Nigeria in 2024.
The Authority also suspended a private Airline, Mattini Airline Services Limited, over the runway excursion that took place at Ibadan Airport.
The NCAA Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr. Michael Achimugu in a statement explained that following the runway excursion, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) had launched an investigation into the occurrence.
It stated that the Mattini Airline Services Limited holds a valid Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF).
The NCAA Director stated that while the NSIB was conducting the safety investigation, the NCAA had initiated an economic inquiry into the operation of the aircraft in line with the terms and conditions of the PNCF as detailed in its Annexure.
The NCAA also expressed displeasure at the alarming reports of incessant delays, flight disruptions, and schedule changes without adequate notice to passengers by domestic airline operators.
Captain Chris Najomo stressed that NCAA would ensure that airlines fulfil their obligations to passengers or face sanctions.
Chris Najomo, reiterated the need for airlines to improve their services as the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN) was determined to enforce his five point agenda as mandated by President Bola Tinubu.
Captain Najomo stated that the record of flight disruptions, poor customer experience and poor handling of passengers were unacceptable and must be improved upon.
He stated that airlines must rejig their flight scheduled to match their number of serviceable aircraft and that airlines are all aware of the airports which have sunset operations.
Hence, airlines “must consider scheduling flights into sunset airports early in the day so as to minimize cancellations as a result of airport closure at sunset.
Capt. Najomo stressed that NCAA will ensure that airlines fulfil their obligations to passengers or face sanctions.
“Airlines must handle persons with reduced mobility properly, with dignity and without discrimination as airlines are mandated to provide facilities for the movement of Persons with reduced mobility and by virtue of the provisions of Nigeria Civil aviation regulations part 19, airlines are required to provide on their ticket portal a mandatory field for special needs assistance and require their agents to actively ask customers during ticket purchase if they will require assistance” he reiterated.
The Ag. DGCA pointed that “it is no longer business as usual as errant airlines will be sanctioned appropriately without fear or favor” noting that NCAA has stepped up its surveillance to monitor compliance with a view to fish out violators.
One important target of the Authority during year 2024 was to ensure that airline passengers and other regulatory agencies interested in consumer-related issues in aviation study and understand the NCAA regulatory provisions governing consumer protection.
The Authority reckoned that with more informed passengers and stakeholders, issues around passengers’ rights will be better understood.
The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection (NCAA) Mr. Michael Achimugu made the call on during a media briefing in Abuja.
He said “passengers’ must study the 19 of the NCAA regulation to know their rights and responsibilities. If you know your rights, you can always access them because most of the time, the airlines won’t inform you of your benefits” he said.
The regulation he said provides for timelines and compensations in resolving different passenger complaints.
“We want to address the issue of time frame in resolving passenger complaints. We have noticed over time that passengers and other government agencies who forward complaints to the NCAA do not seem to understand the concept of time within the NCAA regulatory framework and aviation regulations globally.
We noticed that once passengers report a case, they assume it should be resolved within a day or two days. we also have situations where government agencies write us to say we must resolve cases within three days” he said.
We have been carrying out a lot of awareness as regards passengers’ rights and obligations to correct these misconceptions.
Mr. Achimugu provided the following timelines for the below complaints. For delayed luggage, he said passengers are entitled to a First Needs payment of N10,000 for domestic flights and USD170 For international flights while the baggage is being searched for. However, the USD170 will only apply if the airlines fail to implement their own conditions for baggage delays.
He further explained that the airline has up to seven days to search for the delayed baggage for domestic flights and 21 days for international flights.
The director further explained that if your baggage is confirmed missing, the liability limit is $1,000 for local airlines. However, “passengers’ can get additional compensation if they declare their valuables whilst checking in their baggage.
For international passengers, it is $1,288 special drawing rights (SDR) which you can access in currency” he said.
On ticket refunds, he explained that refunds shall be made immediately if paid with cash or within 14 days if by bank transfer.
“Refunds via means other than cash must be made within 14 days
However, some delay might be experienced from submission of required documents passenger” he emphasized.
According to him, airlines risk up to N5 million fine for failure to resolve refund issues within regulatory stipulated time.
The Director also warned passengers against false claims as they could be liable.
“We are warning passengers against false claims. For instance, a passenger recently arrived in Nigeria, and claimed an airline staff stole his bag, and even assaulted the staff. We requested the CCTV footage from the airport he transited from, which showed he left his baggage in a lounge. We also had a case somewhere that claimed that her missing baggage had seven Rolex wristwatches, designer bags, designer shoes, designer wigs, and so on. In her mind, the case would be concluded, and the airline would be indicted. Her bag was found intact but the bag had none of the items she claimed she had in it. She didn’t even apologize for lying” he explained.
He also said there is a punishment between N1 million and N10 million for unruly behavior, adding that the passenger also risks a jail term of between six months to one year.
