The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) says it will sanction airports without the required permits starting from January 1, 2026.
Director of Aerodrome and Airspace Standards at the NCAA, Godwin Balang shared this information on Monday in Lagos, at the airstrip owners and operators’ stakeholders’ engagement programme.
He emphasised that the action is not meant to alarm anyone, but rather a shared commitment to improving safety and regulation in the aviation sector.
Balang disclosed that currently, there are 92 airstrips in Nigeria, including those that are operational, inactive, or under construction.
He stated that only a few of the airstrips have the necessary permits to operate legally.
The director said the aviation industry has changed significantly in recent years, and regulations need to adapt to these changes for better results.
“The aviation landscape has changed drastically in recent years, so the regulatory strategies must necessarily align with the realities of the season for a more impactful result.
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“We will therefore need to tweak our regulations and other guiding documents accordingly. This is the crux of this engagement.
“It is worth mentioning that among these 92 airstrips, 68 are federal government airstrips being managed by the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, while 24 belong to individuals and private organisations.
“This brings to the fore the need for deeper engagement of the NCAA with the ministry to streamline the operator and regulator status for effective management,” said Balang.
According to him, Section 71 (3) & (4)(a) of the CAA 2022 empowers the authority to certify and grant permits to conduct aerodrome operations in Nigeria and to establish minimum safety standards for the design, operation, and maintenance of aerodrome.
Additionally, Balang stressed the importance of aviation security, saying that they need to develop new strategies to address potential threats while maximizing the benefits of airstrips for Nigeria’s economic growth.
He acknowledged that one meeting would not be enough to cover all the crucial discussions needed on this topic.
