The Director-General of Civil Aviation, Capt. Chris Najomo, has called for urgent collective action across Nigeria's aviation sector to address the challenge of environmental sustainability — signalling that the NCAA's regulatory agenda is expanding beyond its traditional focus on safety and economic oversight to incorporate the environmental dimension that is reshaping civil aviation policy globally.
Capt. Najomo's call comes as the International Civil Aviation Organization advances its framework for aviation's contribution to global climate commitments, including the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation — known as CORSIA — and the sector's long-term aspirational goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Why Environmental Sustainability Matters for Nigerian Aviation Now
For Nigerian carriers operating international routes — particularly Air Peace, which flies to London Gatwick and is seeking to expand to Brazil and other long-haul destinations — CORSIA compliance and sustainable aviation fuel obligations are becoming operationally and commercially relevant. International carriers are increasingly required to report and offset their carbon emissions, and as Nigerian airlines expand their international networks, they will face the same obligations that European, Gulf, and American carriers are already navigating.
At the airport level, FAAN's ongoing MMIA Terminal 1 rehabilitation has incorporated energy efficiency and environmental management considerations into its specifications — consistent with the ISO 14001 environmental management standard that forms part of FAAN's recently obtained dual ISO certification.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel — Africa's Opportunity and Challenge
The global aviation industry's transition pathway toward net-zero emissions is heavily dependent on the scaling of Sustainable Aviation Fuel — jet fuel produced from biological, waste, or synthetic sources that generates significantly lower lifecycle carbon emissions than conventional Jet A1. While SAF production is growing globally, Africa currently has virtually no domestic SAF production capacity, meaning that African carriers wishing to use SAF must import it at significant cost premium.
Capt. Najomo's call for collective action on environmental sustainability implicitly acknowledges this challenge — and the need for Nigeria and African aviation authorities to engage the SAF supply chain question as a matter of policy priority rather than leaving it to individual airlines to solve commercially.
The NCAA said it would publish further details of its environmental sustainability framework and the specific actions it expects from licensed operators, airports, and aviation service providers as its green aviation regulatory programme develops. Industry stakeholders were encouraged to engage with the authority's ongoing consultations on the topic.
