Nigeria’s aviation industry is set to achieve a significant milestone as the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) nears completion of its State Safety Programme (SSP) document.
The SSP is an integrated set of regulations and activities designed to enhance aviation safety, ensuring compliance with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards and tailored to address Nigeria’s unique aviation risks.
As part of this process, the NCAA is hosting the ICAO-West and Central Africa (WACAF) Regional Office under the African and Indian Ocean (AFI) Region Plan-State Safety Programme (SSP) for an assistant mission to Nigeria. The event, which commenced on Monday in Abuja, is expected to provide technical support and help fine-tune the country’s SSP implementation.
Speaking at the event, the director-general of NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo stated that the draft SSP and National Safety Plan (NSP) documents are undergoing final reviews. Represented by NCAA’s director of special duties, Mr. Horatius Egua, Najomo noted that stakeholders have provided valuable feedback on the document.
“The document has gone through several necessary processes. We have sent it out to stakeholders for input, and we have received their feedback,” he said.
Najomo added that NCAA has scheduled additional programmes, including a physical stakeholders’ meeting in April 2025 and a Safety Management System (SMS) workshop for aviation industry chief executives. He stressed that the success of the SSP relies heavily on the commitment of CEOs across the industry.
He further highlighted the importance of ICAO-WACAF’s technical support, stating that it will help the NCAA address any gaps and accelerate the full implementation of the SSP.
National coordinator for SSP and general manager of air operator certification and surveillance at the NCAA, Dr. Iteke Chukwunomso provided further insights into the programme’s significance. He explained that the SSP integrates safety activities and regulatory requirements to enhance proactive and predictive risk management.
“It’s not that we haven’t been implementing safety measures, but now we are taking a more proactive and predictive approach. We don’t need to wait for accidents to happen before taking action,” Chukwunomso said.
He emphasised that part of the SSP requires service providers to establish and maintain an effective safety management system. Under this framework, service providers must continuously collect, collate and analyse safety data to justify their continued operations.
“There is a safety management requirement for both the State and service providers, including airlines, approved maintenance organisations, training institutions, international general aviation operators and key agencies such as FAAN and NAMA. Some of them have already started implementing state management systems, but not at the level we require,” he explained.
With the NCAA’s continued commitment and ICAO’s support, Nigeria is making significant strides in strengthening aviation safety oversight, ensuring compliance with international standards and fostering a safer airspace for all.
