President Bola Tinubu has welcomed Nigeria’s 91.45 per cent aviation safety rating from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
Tinubu described the latest rating as one that significantly boosts investor confidence and strengthens international aviation credibility.
“During a recent debriefing by the ICAO audit team at the Abuja headquarters of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the lead auditor announced that Nigeria had recorded an impressive 91.45 per cent Effective Implementation (EI) score – the highest ever for Nigeria.
“The regional average of West Africa is 61.1 per cent, and the global average is 70.4 per cent. Nigeria is thus well-positioned above the regional and global ratings, which, in turn, significantly boost investor confidence and strengthen international aviation credibility,” a statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, partly read.
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It disclosed that upon the assumption of office, President Tinubu redefined the priority areas of his administration to include enhancing infrastructure and transportation as enablers of growth.
This, it added, included establishing the air transport sector as a major driver for economic prosperity by building a safe, secure, and efficient aviation industry focused on making Nigeria a hub that meets international standards and best practices beyond even the African continent.
According to the statement, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, outlined a five-point agenda to grow the Nigerian aviation value chain, to align with this priority area.
“Importantly, the first point on that agenda is to ensure strict compliance with safety regulations and the continuous upward movement of Nigeria’s ICAO rating,” it added.
The President commended the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development for the feat, stating that the rating affirms the nation’s aviation safety standards and makes it a more attractive destination for investment in aviation infrastructure, maintenance facilities, and airline operations.
Tinubu, however, urged the ministry not to relent but to review and implement every recommendation that the ICAO auditors made during the mission to ensure that Nigeria not only maintains, but goes even further on the rating.
The ICAO is a United Nations agency that coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, fostering the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth.
Through the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP), the international organisation assesses countries to ensure they manage safety risks effectively, ensuring that no country is left behind and directly influencing international confidence in that nation’s airspace.
Nigeria, as an ICAO member state, is obligated to comply with applicable international standards and to establish and implement these safety-critical oversight elements.
According to the statement by the President’s aide, Nigeria has undergone four USOAP safety audits conducted by ICAO auditors, with results measured through Effective Implementation (E.I.) scores, since the inception of the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme in 1999.
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