President Bola Tinubu has welcomed Nigeria’s latest 91.45 per cent aviation safety rating from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), describing it as a major boost to the country’s global aviation credibility and investment outlook.
The ICAO, a United Nations specialised agency responsible for setting standards for international air navigation, evaluates member states through its Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) to determine compliance with global aviation safety requirements.
This was contained in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Thursday, April 23.
According to the audit team’s recent debriefing at the headquarters of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in Abuja, Nigeria recorded an Effective Implementation (EI) score of 91.45 per cent, its highest ever since the programme began in 1999.
The score places Nigeria significantly above the West African regional average of 61.1 per cent and the global average of 70.4 per cent, a development authorities say strengthens confidence in the country’s airspace and aviation systems.
Reacting to the development, President Tinubu said the achievement reflects ongoing reforms in the aviation sector under his administration’s renewed focus on infrastructure and transportation as key drivers of economic growth.
Since assuming office, Tinubu had prioritised the development of a safe, secure, and efficient aviation industry aimed at positioning Nigeria as a regional aviation hub aligned with international best practices.
The statement partly reads: “Upon the assumption of office, President Tinubu redefined the priority areas of his administration to include enhancing infrastructure and transportation as enablers of growth, and to establish the air transport sector as a major driver for economic prosperity by building a safe, secured and efficient aviation industry focused on making Nigeria a hub that meets international standards and best practices beyond even the African continent.
“To align with this priority area, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, outlined a five-point agenda to grow the Nigerian aviation value chain.”
The President commended the ministry and aviation agencies for the milestone, noting that the improved rating would enhance investor confidence in aviation infrastructure, maintenance facilities, and airline operations in Nigeria.
“President Tinubu urges the Ministry not to relent but to review and implement every recommendation that the ICAO auditors made during this mission to ensure that Nigeria not only maintains, but goes even further on the rating,” the statement concluded. (TVCNews)
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