The permission for three private aircraft operators to operate for commercial purposes has been suspended by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.
This was stated in a Riot Act that was signed by Captain Chris Najomo, the acting director general, and posted on the NCAA website on Tuesday.
Festus Keyamo, the minister of aviation and aerospace development, had forewarned private jet operators on Monday that their operations were costing the federal government a significant amount of money since they were operating without a licence to provide commercial services.
During an interview on Monday’s Newsnight on Channels TV, the minister gave the warning.
According to Keyamo, “the Federal Government is losing a significant amount of money as a result of almost all of these private planes operating commercially because the licence to fly a private aircraft privately and the one to flyit commercially is so much.
“The amount of money paid to the federal government is substantial when it is commercial. People now obtain permits from us at a very low cost, saying things like, “I recently bought a private jet and I want to use it for my business or to fly my friends and family.”
But as soon as they get the go-ahead, they operate six or eight flights a day, transporting passengers throughout Nigeria. We’re not going to tolerate the president’s marching order, therefore this is a notification to them on television that I’m coming for them.
First off, there are few regulations that protect the safety of passengers. Secondly, I refuse to for economic sabotage to occur. We will take action against those who are either the president’s or my friends, possibly bringing down all of their aircraft. We intend to take them really hard. We would take action against them within a few days or weeks in order to fund the Federal Government, enforce the law, and protect the security of Nigerians.
But in an attempt to move quickly on the warning, the acting NCAA DG punished three aircraft operators on Tuesday for participating in commercial flights in a Riot Act.
The acting director general revealed that these aircraft operators were suspended because they persisted in conducting commercial flights in spite of multiple warnings.
The statement said, “The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, had taken notice of the use of private jets for commercial purposes back in 2023 and had issued marching orders for the cessation of such acts.”
“Thereafter, in March 2024, the NCAA forbade the carrying of passenger-cargo or mail for hire and reward to holders of the permit for non-commercial flights, or PNCF.
Additionally, the Authority has sent out its representatives to keep an eye on private jet operations at airport terminals throughout Nigeria. Consequently to this increased monitoring, at least three private jets at terminals across the airports in Nigeria.
Three private operators have been found to have violated Part 91.14 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations and the annexure clause of their PNCF as a result of this increased surveillance.
Najomo stated that the Authority’s zero tolerance policy for breaking rules was adhered to by suspending the plane operators for disobeying multiple warnings.
He went on, saying, “The Authority has suspended the PNCF of these operators in accordance with our zero tolerance for regulatory violations. In an effort to further purify the general aviation industry, I have mandated that, by no later than April 19, 2024, all PNCF holders undergo a reevaluation to ensure conformity with regulatory standards.
The notification further stipulated that within 72 hours, all holders of the Permit for Non-Commercial Flights were to turn in the necessary paperwork to the Authority.
It further stated, “Within the following 72 hours, all holders of PNCFs must provide the authority with the necessary documentation.
The current holders of Air Operator Certificates (AOCs) who use the aircraft mentioned on their PNCF for commercial charter operations are also targeted by this riot act.
It is imperative to highlight that exclusive aircraft identified in the AOC’s operation standards are permitted to be utilised for the delivery of said charter services. If any of those AOC holders would want to operate the aircraft for charter, they must submit an application to the NCAA in order to have the relevant aircraft removed from the PNCF and listed inthe AOC operations specification.
“The NCAA wants to emphasise to the general public that when they are looking to hire charter operators, they should never choose an airline that does not have a current Air Operators Certificate that the NCAA has issued.
“Lastly, the NCAA urges the honest participants in the aviation sector to promptly report any suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities so that appropriate action can be taken.”
