Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority Responds to why US govt delisted Nigerian airlines from category one status.

• The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has responded to the recent delisting of Nigerian airlines from operating in the United States.
• Capt. Chris Najomo, the Acting Director General, explained that the delisting was not due to any safety or security issues within Nigeria's aviation oversight.
• It happened because Nigerian airlines, such as Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines, failing to operate flights to the US for two consecutive years prior to September 2022.
• Najomo emphasized that the delisting was in line with standard procedures for countries whose airlines do not provide direct service to the US within a specified period.

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has explained why the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) delisted Nigeria from its Category One status.

In a statement by the Acting Director-General, Chris Najomo, it was clarified that the removal was due to the fact that no Nigerian airline currently provides flight services to the United States. The press release started with,

“The attention of the NCAA has again been drawn to a publication about the purported ban on Nigerian airlines by the United States."

The last airline to operate such a route was Arik Air, which suspended its New York service on February 3, 2017.

The statement further disclosed that in September 2022, the FAA began delisting Category One countries that had not had an indigenous airline providing service to the U.S. or carrying the code of a U.S. operator within a two-year period.

Countries not receiving technical assistance from the FAA due to non-compliance with international safety oversight standards were also removed from the list.

The statement underlined that Nigeria’s removal from the Category One list was anticipated and does not indicate any deficiencies in the country’s aviation safety or oversight.

Capt. Najomo highlighted that Nigeria had successfully passed multiple International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) audits without any major safety or security issues.

“Due to the wrong impression such news could create, it has become expedient that we put this report in its proper perspective."

“Upon attaining Category 1, Nigerian airlines would be permitted to operate Nigerian registered aircraft and dry-leased foreign registered aircraft into the United States, in line with the existing Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA),” he said.

The statement also noted that Nigerian operators could still operate flights to the U.S. using aircraft wet-leased from a country with a current Category One status.

The NCAA also pointed out ongoing efforts by Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Olorogun Festus Keyamo, SAN, to bolster the Nigerian aviation sector.

These efforts include new international partnerships, such as Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with Airbus in France and Boeing in the United States, aimed at facilitating Nigerian operators’ re-entry into the U.S. market.

Najomo highlighted that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has initiated an aggressive international campaign to empower local operators to access the dry-lease market globally.

This includes visits to Airbus in France and a recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with Boeing in Seattle, Washington.

Capt. Najomo assured stakeholders that Nigeria is working to regain its Category One status and maintain it in the future.

The NCAA reaffirmed its dedication to upholding international aviation standards and respecting the sovereignty of all states, including the United States, as per the Convention on International Civil Aviation.

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