NCAA Clarifies Misconceptions About US Flight Ban For Nigerian Airlines

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has responded to the United States’ alleged ban on Nigerian airlines, claiming that the report was flawed and did not accurately reflect the situation.

Capt. Chris Najomo, Acting Director General of Civil Aviation, stated in an Abuja statement on Monday that the delisting of Nigeria from Category One status by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has nothing to do with any safety or security deficiencies in Nigeria’s oversight system.

According to the NCAA’s president, Nigeria achieved Category One status in August 2010, allowing Nigerian airlines to fly Nigerian-registered aircraft and dry-lease foreign-registered aircraft into the United States, following the existing Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA).

However, beginning in September 2022, the United States Federal Aviation Administration delisted Category One countries that had no indigenous operator providing service to the United States or carried the airline code of a U.S. operator within two years.

The NCAA clarified that Nigerian operators can continue to fly into the United States using a wet-leased aircraft from a country with current Category One status.

The NCAA also stated that it continues to strictly adhere to international safety and security standards and respects the sovereignty of states, including the United States of America, as enshrined in Article One of the International Civil Aviation Convention.

The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has been actively working to empower local operators to access the global dry-lease market, including a visit to AIRBUS in France earlier this year and the signing of an MOU with BOEING in Seattle, Washington.

The Minister has also made efforts to ensure that Nigeria fully complies with the Cape Town Convention, which will restore international lessors’ trust in the Nigerian aviation industry.

The NCAA expressed confidence that with the Honourable Minister’s actions, Nigeria will not only regain but also maintain its United States Category One status.

“The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has once again been drawn to a publication about the United States’ purported ban on Nigerian airlines.

“Because such news could give the wrong impression, it is imperative that we put this report in proper context.

“To operate in the United States of America, Nigeria, like most countries, must complete the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Programme and achieve Category 1 status.

“Once granted this status, Nigerian airlines would be permitted to operate Nigerian-registered aircraft and dry-leased foreign-registered aircraft into the United States in accordance with the existing Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA).

“Nigeria first achieved Category One Status in August 2010. In 2014, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducted another safety assessment of Nigeria. In 2017, Nigeria underwent another safety assessment, and it was reclassified as a Category One country.

“However, as of September 2022, the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) delisted Category One countries that, after two years, had no indigenous operator providing service to the United States or carried the airline code of a U.S operator. Countries that the FAA did not provide technical assistance to were also removed from the Category One list due to identified areas of noncompliance with international safety oversight standards.

“No Nigerian operator has provided service into the United States using a Nigerian registered aircraft within the two years preceding September 2022, so Nigeria, like other countries in this category, was expected to be de-listed. As a result, Nigeria has been de-listed since 2022, and the public has been informed of this decision.

“It is critical to note that Nigeria’s de-listing has nothing to do with any safety or security flaws in our monitoring system. Nigeria has undergone comprehensive ICAO Safety and Security Audits and has received no Significant Safety Concern (SSC) or Significant Security Concern (SSeC).

“It is also necessary to note that a Nigerian operator can still operate in the United States using an aircraft wet-leased from a country with current Category One status.

“The NCAA continues to strictly adhere to international safety and security standards while also respecting the sovereignty of States, including the United States of America, as enshrined in Article One of the Convention on International Civil Aviation. This provision gives states complete and exclusive control over the airspace above their territories.

“Furthermore, in full recognition of this situation, the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Olorogun Festus Keyamo, SAN, has embarked on an aggressive international campaign to empower our local operators to access the dry-lease market around the world, which culminated in the visit to AIRBUS in France earlier this year and the MOU signed with BOEING in Seattle, Washington just last week.

“The Honourable Minister has also worked hard to ensure that Nigeria fully complies with the Cape Town Convention, which will restore international lessors’ confidence in Nigeria’s aviation market. We are confident that with the Honourable Minister’s actions, Nigeria will not only regain but also maintain its US Category One status,” the statement reads in part.