NCAA Warns of Safety Breach as Bill Threatens Statutory Funding

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued a strong cautionary note, warning that legislative attempts to slash its statutory share of the Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) could severely compromise aviation safety, erode regulatory oversight, and place air travellers at significant risk.

The warning comes as a bill currently before the National Assembly seeks to redistribute the TSC in favor of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

Speaking to journalists in Abuja, NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, vehemently argued that the regulator operates strictly on a cost-recovery model, not as a revenue-generating entity, and requires stronger financial backing, not a reduction.

“The reason planes are not falling from the sky today under this administration, unlike in the past, is because of the CAA,” Achimugu asserted, underscoring that any further deduction from the NCAA’s already dwindling allocation would cripple its capacity for critical safety oversight.

He further explained that regulatory effectiveness hinges on the superior technical competence of its inspectors. “The staff of the regulatory agency must be better trained than the service providers they regulate. If inspectors do not possess superior technical knowledge, they cannot effectively enforce safety standards,” he stated, adding that the NCAA’s efforts are directly responsible for Nigeria’s positive scores in global aviation audits and improved protection of passenger rights.

Currently, the NCAA collects the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge, distributing statutory portions among NAMA, NiMet, the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB). Achimugu noted that NAMA was established to be self-sustaining through internally generated revenue, whereas the NCAA was initially intended to receive direct federal budgetary allocations—with the TSC introduced merely to ease the funding burden on the government.

Dispelling reports that the NCAA owes NAMA, Achimugu clarified that statutory remittances are processed directly by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in line with federal directives, removing the NCAA from the settlement process entirely.

The official also disclosed that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has already intervened in the dispute. He urged stakeholders to refrain from making inflammatory public statements, insisting that the Minister is actively mediating among all parties to ensure an amicable resolution.

Ultimately, Achimugu reiterated that preserving adequate financial capacity for the NCAA is non-negotiable for air safety. “Proper funding ensures inspectors remain well-trained and adequately remunerated, reducing the risk of compromise and protecting the flying public,” he concluded.