Nigeria's civil aviation safety oversight has recorded a significant improvement, with the country's Effective Implementation (EI) score under the International Civil Aviation Organization's Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) rising to 91.45 per cent. President Bola Tinubu welcomed the result, describing it as evidence that years of regulatory reform at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) are translating into measurable safety gains.
The figure was disclosed in a statement issued by Presidential Spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, who framed the score as validation of the federal government's continued investment in aviation safety infrastructure and personnel training. ICAO's USOAP framework assesses a country's civil aviation authority against eight critical elements, ranging from primary legislation and organisational structure to licensing, operations, airworthiness and accident investigation capacity.
What the Score Means in Practice
An EI score above 90 per cent places Nigeria among a smaller group of ICAO member states whose safety oversight systems are considered highly effective, ahead of both the global average and many peer economies within the West and Central African region. For airlines operating Nigerian-registered aircraft, a strong EI score can ease code-share negotiations, insurance terms and route approvals with foreign regulators who weigh ICAO audit outcomes heavily when assessing bilateral safety arrangements.
Industry Reaction
Aviation stakeholders have generally welcomed the improved rating, though some industry voices caution that a strong regulatory score does not by itself resolve operational pressures airlines are currently facing, including high aviation fuel costs and disputes over ticket sales charge remittances. The NCAA is expected to build on the audit result by continuing scheduled ICAO monitoring activities and addressing any residual findings flagged during the assessment.