As the presidential directive for an overhaul in the nation’s aviation to raise it to global standards and enhance consumer protection, President Bola Tinubu has sanctioned the suspension, removal and replacement of key chief executive officers in departments and agencies within the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
The managing director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. Kabir Yusuf Mohammed has been relieved of his duties and replaced by Mrs. Olubunmi Oluwaseun Kuku as the substantive managing director of FAAN.
Similarly, the managing director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Mr. Tayib Adetunji Odunowo has been removed and replaced with Engr. Umar Ahmed Farouk.
The President also announced the removal of the director-general of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Engr. Akinola Olateru, with Mr. Alex Badeh Jr. stepping in as the substantive director-general.
In addition, the director-general of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Prof. Mansur Bako Matazu has been replaced by Prof. Charles Anosike.
For the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Capt. Alkali Mahmud Modibbo has been removed as rector, and Mr. Joseph Shaka Imalighwe is appointed as the acting rector, pending the appointment of a substantive rector.
The president took decisive action by suspending the director-general of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Musa Shuaibu Nuhu, to facilitate an unfettered investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into the activities of the suspended official and other senior officials in the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority. Capt. Chris Najomo assumes office as the acting director-general immediately.
Furthermore, Tinubu greenlit a meticulous process, to be led by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, for recruiting a substantive vice-chancellor and other principal officers of the African Aviation and Aerospace University (AAAU).
Tinubu expects the new leadership to prioritise the safety, convenience and comfort of the Nigerian people as paramount in all administrative activities. Emphasising the urgency due to the high cost of underperformance in the sector, he calls for the immediate establishment of world-class policy design, implementation, and regulatory frameworks to reposition the sector in alignment with his ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda.
All directives from the President take immediate effect, signalling a transformative phase in the nation’s aviation landscape.
