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The Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikwe Airport in Abuja have been fully certified by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The certificates of the new statuses of the two airports were handed over to the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku by the acting Director General of NCAA, Captain Chris Najomo in Abuja.
Speaking at the presentation and renewal of the Aerodrome Certificate for the two airports, the FAAN MD recalled how in March 2001, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council adopted a new Standard that required certification of aerodromes used for international operations.
This standard according to Kuku, became applicable on the 27th of November, 2003 when Nigeria initially complied with the provision by certifying two international airports in 2017.
“The 3-year duration of those certificates lapsed in November 2020 in line with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations in force then. At the expiration of NAIA & MMIA aerodrome certificates, a six (6)month extension was granted to FAAN to operate the aerodromes due to the COVID-19 Pandemic which we all remember had devastating effects on the aviation sector.
“However, the extension was granted on the condition that FAAN resolve all outstanding certification CAP items and complete the re-certification process within the extension period. To be detailed, there were 136 items for MMIA and 29 items for NAIA, so this was no mean feat.
“Since then, NCAA and FAAN got down to the hard work of ensuring closure of the critical certification findings as required by the Regulations. I have deliberately taken us down this memory lane to have a proper perspective of what is being celebrated here today.”
The FAAN MD who described the renewal of the aerodrome certificates as an important milestone in the journey towards achieving excellence in aviation safety and security, further remarked: “It is an attestation to the visionary leadership of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo in particular, and ultimately Mr. President through his Renewed Hope Agenda in general.
“I must reiterate that the presentation of these certificates is not an indication that the airports are 100% compliant with safety standards but it is a testament to their compliance with the minimum certification and operating requirements based on risk assessment and presentation of an acceptable Corrective Action Plan (CAP) for continuous implementation by the aerodrome operator.
“The observed non-compliances have resulted in applicable restrictions and exemptions to reflect the true status of the aerodromes. In the meantime, the implementation of these CAPs will be monitored by our Safety inspectors through post-certification surveillance activities. Therefore, we are not to rest on our Oars, but rather, leave our sleeves up and keep working.
In his remarks the DG, NCAA, Captain Chris Najomo congratulated the airport operator FAAN led by the MD, on this remarkable achievement saying:”In doing so, I appea for continuous maintenance of high safety standards that prioritise the safety and comfort of passengers, airport users, staff and the public.
“I do not doubt that FAAN will align itself with these ideals. This will further ensure that subsequent certification renewal processes are seamless in keeping with my mantra of ease of doing business without compromising standards.
“On our part as NCAA, we remain irrevocably committed to ensuring that our airports meet the highest safety and security standards. As the regulatory body, we will continue to work closely with the airport operators to ensure consistent compliance with international best practices.”
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