Nigeria has recorded a major milestone in its aviation sector, emerging with a 91.4 per cent safety score in the latest audit conducted by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
- +ICAO audit: Nigeria scores 91.4% in aviation safety rating – Keyamo
Speaking during a high-level meeting in Abuja on Wednesday evening, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said, “The International Civil Aviation Organization today concluded its audit of the Nigerian aviation industry.
Speaking during a high-level meeting in Abuja on Wednesday evening, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said, “The International Civil Aviation Organization today concluded its audit of the Nigerian aviation industry.
“The last time this audit took place was 2023. So this is an audit that takes place every three years. In 2023, Nigeria scored 70%, which is considered very, very low in terms of safety.
“And that, of course, affects the rating of our airlines internationally too. Now, after three years of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and this team in place — the DG NCAA, the MD FAAN, the MD NAMA, and the team — today, the audit was concluded by the International Civil Aviation Organization. And for the first time in the history of Nigeria, since 1960, we have recorded the highest score in terms of safety of the aviation industry in Nigeria.”
He added, “We have recorded 91.4%. This is because of the deliberate policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the kind of support he has given the aviation industry, and the type of initiatives that he has told us to initiate in the aviation industry. And the International Civil Aviation Organization is very happy with us. And this is a big thank you to the heads of the agencies.
“The heads of the agencies have been hands-on on this issue. For more than two years, we had a central committee under my leadership.
“The ministry had to set up a committee on this audit alone because we were not happy with the last scores that we recorded. So this is out already. This is just to announce and to congratulate ourselves and everybody, even the airlines that were audited. They all contributed to this,” he said.
In 2023, Nigeria’s aviation sector underwent an International Civil Aviation Organization audit and scored 70 per cent in safety rating. The result was described at the time as below expectations and raised concerns within the industry about compliance levels and safety oversight mechanisms.
The 2023 outcome formed the baseline for subsequent reforms within the aviation sector, as regulatory agencies intensified efforts to improve safety standards, strengthen oversight, and address identified gaps ahead of the next audit cycle.
