NCAA, NMPDRA, deny unauthorized fuelers access to airports

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA) has said it is partnering with the Nigeria Mainstream Petroleum Downstream Regulatory Authority, (NMDPRA) to ensure unauthorized aviation fuel suppliers are denied access to Nigeria airports.

This is following the ongoing investigation into fuel contamination discovered in some aircraft engines about a month ago.

Musa Nuhu, the Director General, Civil Aviation, at a press conference via Zoom with aviation correspondents said, the action is to ensure flight safety in Nigeria and nip the trend in the bud.

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“There was a gap between the two regulatory bodies; NCAA and NMPDRA. This is a gap that we have closed. We are working with the NMPDRA and they have been very cooperative. Based on the list we sent to them, they have written back to us that they are taking action on some of the fuelers.

“I need to clarify something; the approval we give is not general. When you are given a license to supply Jet A1, it doesn’t mean you can go to any airport in Nigeria. There is approval for specific airports. Some have approvals for some airports but don’t have for others. It is based on this cooperation that we have filed with the NMDPRA that we are addressing this and I think the Director of Airworthiness should have sent out a letter to that effect from Thursday.” Nuhu said.

He said no international airline has reported fuel contamination, adding that the Max Air case is a standalone case and an alarming one.

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The DG said the entire process of supply value chains has to be looked into, starting from outside the sector.

“We are not resting on our oars and we have to ensure that this doesn’t happen again. We have set up a committee comprising of NCAA, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau and others to make their report to us.

NCAA, the regulatory authority to deny unauthorized fuelers access to airports
Speaking on the recent Jabiru J430 plane crash in Lagos, Captain Nuhu said, stakeholders and professionals should exercise restraint and wait for the outcome of the investigation by the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB and stop commenting on the probable cause of the accident.

“Anybody that speculates of the cause of the crash is just making mere speculation and we should avoid that and wait for NSIB to release the report and be sure shortly”.

He said the safety record of the Nigerian aviation industry would continue to be enhanced, adding that the signing of the civil aviation Masterplan with the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO and its forthcoming audit in Nigeria between August and September this year are ways to boost air safety.

“Arrangements are ongoing, a lot has been done and there is still some work to be done, we are working with the ICAO team from West and Central Africa, the WACAF ICAO office based in Dakar and we have a team from BAGGASO too, Bangui Accord Safety Oversight Organization”.

Nuhu disclosed that before the end of this year, some Nigerian airlines would open up more regional routes and also fly intercontinental.