The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has explained a recent delisting of Nigerian airlines from operating flights to the U.S.
The ban, they say, stems from regulatory and safety concerns that needed addressing before airlines could resume service.
On Tuesday, September 3, in Abuja, Captain Chris Najomo, Acting Director General of Civil Aviation, clarified the conditions for Nigerian airlines to resume flights to the U.S.
He stated that airlines must pass the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Programme and achieve Category 1 status.
This requirement applies to all countries, NAN reports.
Category 1 Status
Najomo addressed recent confusion about the U.S flight ban.
He said: “The NCAA has noticed reports about a ban on Nigerian airlines by the United States.
“To clear up any misunderstandings, we need to explain the situation clearly.”
According to him, once Nigerian airlines achieve Category 1 status, they will be allowed to operate both Nigerian-registered and dry-leased foreign-registered aircraft into the U.S.
This is in accordance with the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA).
Najomo provided context, noting that Nigeria first achieved Category 1 status in August 2010.
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The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducted a follow-up safety evaluation in 2014 and another in 2017, during which Nigeria successfully retained its status.
Delisting Of Nigerian Airlines
However, a policy change in September 2022 led to the de-listing of countries that did not have an indigenous airline operating direct services to the U.S or partnering with a U.S based carrier within two years.
Najomo said: “Countries not receiving technical assistance from the FAA due to non-compliance with international safety standards were also removed from the Category 1 list”.
Nigeria was de-listed under this policy as no Nigerian operator had provided direct services to the U.S with Nigerian-registered aircraft in the two years before September 2022.
Najomo emphasised that the de-listing was unrelated to safety or security issues within Nigeria’s oversight framework.
He highlighted that Nigeria had passed comprehensive International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Safety and Security Audits, with no significant concerns noted.
Nigerian airlines can still operate in the U.S by wet-leasing aircraft from countries with Category 1 status.
