The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has commenced a Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM) to assess Nigeria’s compliance with global aviation safety standards and evaluate the effectiveness of corrective action plans implemented to address previously identified deficiencies.
The mission, hosted by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), will also review the Critical Elements of Nigeria’s safety oversight system as part of ICAO’s continuous monitoring process.
Director-General of Civil Aviation, Chris Najomo, described the exercise as a follow-up to the ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme Continuous Monitoring Approach (USOAP-CMA) audit conducted between August and September 2023, during which Nigeria achieved an Effective Implementation score of 70.12 percent.
Najomo said Nigeria has remained committed to strengthening its aviation safety oversight framework since the audit.
“We took the audit findings seriously by conducting root cause analyses and developing comprehensive Corrective Action Plans to address identified deficiencies. These plans were subsequently validated by ICAO, providing a clear roadmap for implementation,” he said.
He highlighted several key improvements made by the NCAA, including the deployment of the EMPIC regulatory software to automate personnel licensing and aeromedical processes. The Authority has also partnered with NorthWest Data Solutions to implement SMS Pro software, enhancing the centralisation and digitalisation of safety data reporting in line with ICAO Annex 19 requirements.
In strengthening human capacity, Najomo noted that over 100 flight operations and airworthiness inspectors have undergone specialised training at an EASA-approved institution in Comiso, Italy, as well as at a training centre in Dubai, UAE. Additional inspectors are currently undertaking on-the-job training under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority to qualify for specialised authorisations.
He added that Nigeria has also signed Memoranda of Understanding with neighbouring Flight Information Regions to ensure safe and efficient cross-border air traffic management.
Further reforms include the implementation of a robust rule-making process to domesticate ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices into national regulations, as well as the certification of international aerodromes through a five-phase process aligned with ICAO Annex 14 and Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations.
The NCAA has also established a dedicated flight data centre to support risk-based oversight under a comprehensive State Safety Programme.
Najomo said Nigeria’s participation in the validation mission is not solely aimed at improving its compliance score but at building a resilient and sustainable safety oversight system.
“Our goal is to institutionalise a system that supports continuous improvement in safety performance and aligns with the Federal Government’s policy on strict adherence to international safety regulations,” he stated.
The ICVM Team Lead, Jerome Patoreaux, outlined the eight Critical Elements used by ICAO to evaluate a country’s safety oversight system. These include aviation legislation, operating regulations, organisational structure, qualified personnel, technical guidance, certification processes, surveillance activities and the resolution of safety concerns.
The validation mission forms part of ICAO’s broader efforts to ensure that member states maintain effective aviation safety systems and continuously improve compliance with international standards.
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