Tinubu celebrates Nigeria’s 91% aviation safety score

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday welcomed Nigeria’s 91.45 per cent aviation safety rating from the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

According to a statement signed by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, it is the highest score the country has ever recorded in the UN body’s Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme and places Nigeria well above regional and global benchmarks.

The rating was announced by the lead ICAO auditor during a debriefing session at the Abuja headquarters of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, where the audit team presented its Effective Implementation score following the country’s fourth USOAP safety audit since the programme’s inception in 1999.

Onanuga said Nigeria’s 91.45 per cent EI score compares favourably with the West Africa regional average of 61.1 per cent and the global average of 70.4 per cent, a margin of more than 30 percentage points above the regional mean and over 20 points above the world average.

According to Onanuga, Tinubu commended the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development for the achievement, describing the rating as an affirmation of Nigeria’s aviation safety standards and a signal to international investors.

“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,” the President said.

Tinubu urged the ministry not to rest on the result, directing it to review and implement every recommendation made by the ICAO auditors during the mission “to ensure that Nigeria not only maintains, but goes even further on the rating.”

The ICAO, a specialised United Nations agency, coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation and assesses member states through its Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme to ensure they are managing safety risks effectively.

Nigeria, as a member state, is obligated to comply with applicable international standards and to establish and maintain the safety-critical oversight elements that USOAP measures.

A country’s EI score directly influences international confidence in its airspace and has practical implications for bilateral aviation agreements, airline operations, and foreign investment decisions.

Nigeria’s previous USOAP scores had hovered below the current figure across the three preceding audits.

The Presidency attributed the improvement in part to the five-point agenda of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, which lists strict compliance with safety regulations and the continuous upward movement of Nigeria’s ICAO rating as its first and most fundamental priority.

It noted that upon assuming office, Tinubu had redefined infrastructure and transportation as priority enablers of growth, with a specific mandate to establish the air transport sector as a driver of economic prosperity by building an aviation industry that meets international standards.