The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has explained why Nigeria lost its Category 1 Status which disqualified Nigerian airlines from flying into the United States as required.

This was contained in a statement issued by the NCAA Acting Director General, Capt. Chris Najomo, on Tuesday, September 3, 2024.

Najomo, who debunked a report claiming a ban on Nigerian airlines, said Nigeria like most countries must satisfactorily pass the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Programme and attain Category 1 status in order to operate into the U.S.

He stated: “The attention of the NCAA has again been drawn to a publication about the purported ban on Nigerian airlines by the United States.

“Due to the wrong impression such news could create, it has become expedient that we put this report in its proper perspective.

“Upon attaining Category 1, Nigerian airlines would be permitted to operate Nigerian registered aircraft and dry-leased foreign registered aircraft into the United States, in line with the existing Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA).”

Najomo recalled that the first time Nigeria attained Category 1 was in August 2010, while the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducted another safety assessment on Nigeria in 2014.

The NCAA boss said a further safety assessment was conducted on Nigeria in 2017, after which Nigeria retained her Category 1 status.

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He noted that with effect from September 2022, the U.S. FAA de-listed Category 1 countries which, after a two-year period, had no indigenous operator to provide service to the U.S. or carrying airline code of a U.S. operator.

Najomo added: “Also removed from the Category 1 list were countries, who the FAA was not providing technical assistance to based on identified areas of non-compliance to international standards for safety oversight.

“No Nigerian operator has provided service into the United States using a Nigerian registered aircraft within the 2-year period preceding September 2022.

“So, it was expected that Nigeria would be de-listed as were other countries who fell within this category. Nigeria was, therefore, de-listed since 2022 and was duly informed of this action in 2022.”

According to him, the de-listing of Nigeria has nothing to do with any safety or security deficiency in the nation’s oversight system.

Ojomo said Nigeria had undergone comprehensive International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Safety and Security Audits and recorded no Significant Safety Concern (SSC) or Significant Security Concern (SSeC), respectively.

He stated: “It is furthermore necessary to add that a Nigerian operator can still operate into the U.S. using an aircraft wet-leased from a country which has a current Category 1 status.

“The NCAA continues to adhere strictly to international safety and security standards and respects the sovereignty of states, including the United States of America, as enshrined in Article 1 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation.

“This provision gives states complete and exclusive sovereignty over the airspace above their territories.”

The Star