Nigeria improves in aviation safety rating to 91.4% after ICAO audit

Nigeria’s aviation regulator says the latest ICAO validation reflects progress in safety oversight after earlier audit gaps.

Nigeria has recorded a 91.4 per cent aviation safety rating following an audit by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), marking a significant improvement from its previous assessment.

The new rating represents a notable increase from the 70 per cent score recorded during the ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme carried out between August and September 2023, which had fallen below the global benchmark.

Speaking during the closing briefing held at the Authority’s Headquarters in Abuja, the Director-General of Civil Aviation, Chris Najomo, said the ICVM is an independent review process that evaluates a country’s aviation safety oversight system, identifying strengths and areas requiring improvement.

Mr Najomo said the outcome reflects progress made by Nigeria in addressing gaps identified in the previous audit, although the findings will still undergo further validation by ICAO’s Safety and Air Navigation Oversight Audit Section.

He expressed optimism that the country’s safety rating could improve further as corrective actions continue to be implemented.

According to the regulator, Nigeria undertook a root cause analysis after the 2023 audit and developed corrective action plans to address identified deficiencies, which were subsequently validated by ICAO.

The NCAA said it would review and implement recommendations from the latest audit as part of efforts to strengthen safety oversight and align with international aviation standards.

Mr Najomo also acknowledged the role of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and other agencies, including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency.

The ICVM forms part of ICAO’s continuous monitoring approach used to assess how effectively countries address safety concerns and comply with global aviation standards.