The director-general of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Chris Najomo has reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to fully implementing the State Safety Programme (SSP) once it is finalised.
He made this assurance during the closing ceremony of the ICAO-West and Central Africa (WACAF) Regional Office of the African and Indian Ocean (AFI) Region Plan-State Safety Programme (SSP) Assistance Mission to Nigeria at the NCAA headquarters in Abuja.
The SSP is a comprehensive framework of regulations and activities designed to enhance civil aviation safety. Mandated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), it is tailored to each member state to ensure the effectiveness of safety performance measures while addressing aviation risks. The assistance mission, Najomo noted, has helped Nigeria bridge identified gaps in its draft SSP document, positioning the country for full compliance with international safety standards.
He highlighted Nigeria’s progress in developing its SSP, including the publication of safety management regulations in Part 20 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs). Additionally, Nigeria has drafted its SSP manual, a National Aviation Safety Plan (NASP), and various guidance documents for both industry stakeholders and NCAA inspectors to assess and oversee service providers’ safety management systems (SMS).
Najomo acknowledged the contributions of the ICAO regional officer for safety implementation in West and Central Africa, Sonia Freitas, who reviewed Nigeria’s Gap Analysis and SSP Implementation Plan. Her recommendations provided further guidance to both the NCAA and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) on aligning with ICAO’s Annex 19 state safety requirements. He also commended the executive director of the Banjul Accord Group Aviation Safety Oversight Organisation (BAGASOO) for her support in refining the procedural documentation necessary for the programme’s successful implementation.
Speaking at the event, the director-general of NSIB, Capt. Alex Badeh Jr. emphasised the regional significance of the assistance mission in reinforcing aviation safety across Africa. He described the initiative as a demonstration of the collective commitment to tackling aviation safety challenges. Badeh assured that the NSIB, in collaboration with the NCAA, would diligently address the findings and recommendations from the mission to ensure Nigeria meets global aviation safety standards.
