The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has clarified the reason behind the de-listing of Nigerian airlines from operating in the United States.
Contrary to reports, the de-listing is not due to safety or security concerns, but rather a result of Nigeria’s failure to meet the US Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) requirements.
According to the NCAA’s Acting Director General, Capt. Chris Najomo, Nigeria was de-listed in September 2022, along with other countries, due to the absence of an indigenous operator providing services to the US or carrying the airline code of a US operator.
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Najomo explained that to operate in the US, Nigeria must pass the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Programme and attain Category One status. Despite attaining this status in 2010 and retaining it in 2014 and 2017, Nigeria failed to meet the FAA’s requirements in 2022.
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The NCAA stressed that the de-listing is not a reflection of Nigeria’s safety or security oversight but rather a result of the country’s inability to meet the FAA’s criteria. Nigerian operators can still operate in the US using wet-leased aircraft from countries with current Category One status.
He added that the NCAA remains committed to adhering to international safety and security standards and respects the sovereignty of states, including the US.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has embarked on an aggressive international campaign to empower local operators to access the dry-lease market, which is expected to help Nigeria regain its US Category One status.
