The United States Federal Aviation Administration (USFAA) has delisted Nigeria from Category One Status of the International Aviation Safety Assessment programme. This setback is a direct consequence of Nigerian carriers’ inability to operate direct flights to the US for a period of two years, as outlined in the FAA law. Nigerian airlines will no longer be able to add new routes or increase the reach of their services to the United States as a result of this revocation. For airlines like Air Peace, which intended to expand its flights to the US, this has limited their ability to grow in the region.
Initially, Nigeria obtained USFAA Category One status in August 2010, proving that it had complied with global aviation safety regulations established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). It was also a major turning point for Nigeria’s aviation sector, as it improved the nation’s standing for upholding strict safety and legal requirements. However given the current circumstances, Nigeria carriers do not have many opportunities to run direct flights to the US given the current circumstances. Even while it’s not as promising as it was years ago, things are still positive because it is not downgrading.
Network connectivity of the industry may be affected.
A statement released by Chris Najomo, the acting director-general of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), revealed that following Nigeria’s attainment of the status in 2010, USFAA carried out a safety evaluation on Nigeria in 2014. Nigeria maintained its Category One status following the completion of an additional safety evaluation in 2017. He noted that there is no connection whatsoever between the delisting of Nigeria and any safety or Security shortcomings in the NCAA’s supervision framework. Najomo explained that Nigeria has completed thorough ICAO Safety and Security Audits and has not identified any Significant Security Concerns (SeC) or Safety Concerns (SSC).
Losing Category One status, which is a sign of international safety and compliance, might lower Nigerian airlines ability to stay competitive in the global markets. The delisting may also have an effect on Nigeria’s capacity to reach favorable bilateral agreements with other nations, which could have an effect on the general aviation network connectivity of the nation. It might discourage foreign investment, sever ties with foreign airlines, and cause passenger traffic to drop as people lose faith in Nigerian airlines’ safety. Revenues from the aviation industry, which makes up 0.6% of Nigeria’s GDP, may decline.
This represents a major obstacle for the aviation industry.
Although there are no safety concerns behind the delisting, it is a major obstacle for Nigerian airlines looking to grow. Direct flights to the US are more convenient and take less time to get to, thus this development affects both travelers and Nigerian carriers. The delisting represents a major obstacle for the aviation industry in Nigeria, one that could have an impact on its standing, ability to operate, and future prospects. In response, the Nigerian government has affirmed its commitment to resolving the issues brought forth by the USFAA and has acknowledged the gravity of the downgrade.
In an effort to identify the precise areas of concern and create a corrective action plan, the NCAA and the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development are actively communicating with the USFAA. There are initiatives in motion to update and evaluate aviation legislation, strengthen safety procedures, and raise the standard of aviation supervision as a whole. It was mentioned that Nigerian operators might continue to use aircraft that they wet-leased from a nation that currently hold a Category One status to conduct flights to the United States. Najomo emphasized that Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has launched a vigorous global effort to enable indigenous operators to gain access to the dry-lease market worldwide.
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Such efforts include a recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with Boeing in Seattle, Washington, as well as visits to Airbus in France. With these initiatives, Keyamo expressed optimism that the country will not only recover its Category One status but also retain it. For now, it is unclear when Nigeria will be able to restore its Category One classification and start operating direct flights to the US, but the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and other relevant authorities are striving to resolve the requirements for recertification.