The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has highlighted key policy changes driving a gradual transformation in the country’s aviation sector under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Speaking during an X Space hosted on Sunday by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Media Centre, themed “PBAT’s Reforms and Their Effects on the Nigerian Aviation Sector,” the NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, listed infrastructural upgrades, dry-leasing agreements, and the clearing of outstanding balances owed to international airlines as major reforms shaping the sector in the past two years.
Mr Achimugu described the clearing of trapped airline funds as one of the administration’s most significant interventions, saying it restored international confidence in Nigeria’s aviation market and eased financial pressure on foreign carriers.
“When President Tinubu came into office, international airlines were already frustrated over their trapped funds, and Nigerians were paying some of the highest fares in the region. The President’s decision to clear those funds restored our credibility and encouraged airlines to reopen their inventories to Nigerian travellers,” he said.
‘Renewed International Interest’
Mr Achimugu said several airlines that had reduced or suspended operations in Nigeria have begun to show renewed interest in flying into the country. Among the latest entrants, he mentioned Air Algérie, which recently launched direct flights to Abuja and Lagos.
He added that the move also encouraged other nations to engage Nigerian authorities on potential aviation partnerships.
“When we launched Air Algérie’s Abuja operations, the Tunisian ambassador approached me personally to say they too want to begin flights soon,” he said.
The NCAA spokesperson explained that the reforms were targeted at attracting international airlines and improving conditions for domestic operators by tackling long-standing regulatory and infrastructural gaps.
Over the past two years, the Federal Government has rolled out major reforms to steady Nigeria’s aviation sector and rebuild investor confidence.
Between 2023 and 2024, more than $700 million in trapped airline funds was cleared — a move that eased tensions with international carriers and restored confidence in the country’s airspace. In October 2024, the NCAA signed an updated Irrevocable De-registration and Export Request Authorisation (IDERA), raising Nigeria’s compliance rating under the Cape Town Convention to 75.5 per cent.
These steps, authorities say, form part of broader reforms led by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, aimed at stabilising the sector and attracting foreign investment.
Mr Achimugu further highlighted the signing of the IDERA and Nigeria’s adherence to the Cape Town Convention as major milestones that improved the country’s international compliance rating and investor confidence.
He said the new framework made it easier for local airlines to access dry-leasing agreements, a development that had been nearly impossible before now due to the lack of legal protection for aircraft lessors.
“Before now, lessors avoided Nigeria because the justice system frustrated aircraft repossession. But with IDERA in place, it’s easier for investors to trust our regulatory framework,” he noted.
He added that the ministry is also working to establish a national aircraft leasing company to support domestic operators and reduce their financial burden.
Mr Achimugu said the NCAA remains committed to transparency and efficiency in its oversight role, noting that the agency “continues to operate without any record of corruption or extortion.”
