NCAA approves take-off for five prospective airlines with issuance of air certificate

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has disclosed that in one year, it has approved five Air Operating Certificates (AOCs) for five applicants.

This was disclosed by Chris Ona Najomo, the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) during a stakeholders meeting, headed by Festus Keyamo, the Minister of aviation and aerospace development in Lagos on Friday.

An AOC is a certificate that allows an operator to perform specific operations of commercial air transport. The approval of AOC by the NCAA implies that five prospective airlines have been approved to commence commercial flight operations.

Najomo said during the process of approving the AOCs, he ensured the applicants did not cut corners and all safety demands were met. He stressed that all the prospective airlines went through all procedures and completed them.

Speaking on aging aircraft in Nigeria, he said it is not how new an aircraft is that makes it safe but how well the aircraft is maintained.

“The NCAA is carrying out surveillance on all aircraft operating in Nigeria to ensure these aircraft are maintained. Brand new aircraft still take-off and crash. So, the age of an aircraft doesn’t determine how safe it is,” he explained.

Speaking on the scarcity of jobs in the aviation sector, Najomo said the NCAA is doing its best to ensure airlines bring in more aircraft, adding that the presence of more aircraft would mean jobs for pilots, flight dispatchers, and engineers, amongst others.

Also speaking at the event, Olubunmi Oluwaseun Kuku,  managing director Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said the minister has approved procurement of screening machines to beef up security at the airport.

Kuku also said the minister has mandated the automation of major aircraft facilities to make passenger facilitation seamless.