The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has expressed confidence in the country’s preparedness for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Category 1 reassessment, a certification required for Nigerian airlines to operate direct commercial flights to the United States.
The Director-General of Civil Aviation, Capt. Chris Najomo, gave the assurance during a meeting with officials of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on the sidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) AFI Aviation Week held in Cairo, Egypt, on July 29.
Discussions during the meeting focused on Nigeria’s readiness for the Category 1 reassessment as well as the progress of Air Peace’s proposed direct service between Nigeria and New York.
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Najomo stated that the NCAA had put the necessary measures in place ahead of the reassessment and expressed confidence that Air Peace was also adequately prepared for the audit process required to commence direct operations to the United States.
He, however, appealed to the FAA to provide technical assistance and capacity-building support in selected specialised areas to further strengthen Nigeria’s readiness for the evaluation.
In response, the FAA delegation requested that the NCAA identify the specific areas where support would be needed.
The U.S. aviation regulator also assured the Nigerian delegation of its willingness to provide the required technical assistance to support a successful reassessment process and facilitate Air Peace’s bid to launch direct flights between Nigeria and New York.
