The aviation industry in 2014 was dominated by the removal and appointment of new helmsmen for the aviation ministry and agencies, as well as the retention of the United States, Federal Aviation Authority’s Catagory One status. These and other major development are presented below.

Nigerian heads ICAO

In January, 2014, a Nigerian, Dr. Olumuyiwa Babatunde Aliu was  elected President of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the global body for aviation safety. He is the first Blackman to head the world body. He was elected  at the 38th Assembly of the organisation in Montreal, Canada by an assembly consisting of 172 countries.

Aliu received full support from the Federal Government and Nigerians both at home and in Diaspora as the then Minister of Aviation Stella Oduah led the Nigerian delegation to drum support for the accomplished Aliu who has built invaluable goodwill among ICAO member countries’ representatives.

Minister of Aviation sacked

In February, President Goodluck Jonathan  sacked the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah and the Minister of State for Trade, Industry and Investment, Samuel Ortom,   was asked to   supervise   the ministry until the substantive appointment of an Aviation  Minister.

Princess Oduah was caught in a web of controversy involving the purchase of two BMW armoured cars for $1.6 million. Oduah and three other ministers within the Jonathan government were relieved of their positions on the orders of Mr. Jonathan. However, their sack was passed off as voluntary resignation from the cabinet.

Change of guards at Aviation agencies

In March, the Federal Government  removed the heads of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Nigerian College of Aviation technology. This was barely three weeks after the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, was removed as a minister.

Saleh Dumona, the Director of Projects in the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, replaced Mr. George Uriesi as the Managing Director of FAAN. Also, the General Manager, Procurements, in the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Ibrahim Abdulsalam, replaced   Nnamdi Udoh as Managing Director of the agency.

The Government Safety Inspector and International Civil Aviation Organisation online Aircraft Safety Information Systems Inspector, Capt. Akinyele Caulcrick, took over from Capt. Chinyere Kalu as Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology. The Commissioner, Accident Investigation and Prevention Bureau, Capt. Muhktar Usman, replaced Capt. Fola Akinkuotu as Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.

Engineer Benedict Adeyileka acted as DG, NCAA pending Usman’s confirmation by the Senate. The Director of Licensing in NCAA, Dr.   Felix A. Abali replaced Capt. Muhktar Usman as Commissioner, Accident Investigation and Prevention Bureau, AIPB, However, Dr Tony Anuforo retained his position as Director-General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency.

New Aviation Minister appointed

July witnessed the appointment of the former Corps Marshall and Chief Executive Director of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Osita Chidoka, as new Minister of Aviation by President Goodluck Jonathan. Although the appointment came as a surprise to aviation stakeholders, but  those who knew him attested to his youth, track record and vision, which he ably demonstrated while in the FRSC.

Before he was appointed to head FRSC, Chidoka had worked at the Federal Capital Development Authority. He equally served as a Personal Assistant to the Minister of State, Ministry of Works and Housing (1997 to 1998); Personal Assistant to the Minister of Transport (2000 to 2003); Special Assistant to the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Legal Matters (2003 to 2004); and Senior Advisor, Government and Business Relations, Mobile Producing Nigeria, a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation (2006 to 2007).

Retention of Category One status

In September, Nigeria retained the United States of America, USA, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Category One Status. The certification was issued to the Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka in America. This status will enable Nigerian registered carriers to fly directly to United States of America, among other benefits.

Nigeria retained the status after the Nigerian aviation industry regulator, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, and other major agencies in the sector closed all the identified “open items” after the FAA team visited Nigeria in April. While in Nigeria, the FAA had carried out intensive internal aviation safety assessment of the sector and there were fears that Nigeria may not retain the status it earned in September 2010.

The minister said in a statement that the American FAA informed him that, “Nigeria had continued to meet the safety oversight requirements under the international aviation standards.”

Chidoka  also said the retention of Category One Status was “hard earned and the government would continue to ensure that the country retains the status and other future safety certifications in a seamless way.”

The minister promised to reform and strengthen the Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB, in line with the National Transportation Safety Board, NTSB, for greater efficiency and service delivery and urged the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, to commence exchange programmes in air navigation, to deepen knowledge and promote best practice. Chidoka, however, enjoined the US Department of Transportation, DoT, to extend its assistance to the Nigerian aviation industry in a bid to improve safety and security components.

Domestic airlines increase

The outgoing year saw the increase of  domestic airlines in Nigeria with the commencement of flight operations by First Nation, DiscoveryAir, and Airpeace. This brings to seven the number of domestic airlines, namely Arik Air, Aero Contractors, Dana Air, AzmanAir, First Nation, Discovery Air, and Airpeace.

Anti-Corruption measures

The year also saw an attempt to tackle the corruption in the aviation sector with The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, and the Ministry of Aviation     signing a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, to eliminate  “low level corruption at the nation’s airports.”

According to the chairman of ICPC, Mr Ekpo Nta, some of the ways to check this low corruption will include mandatory training on ethics and integrity at the anti – graft agency’s academy for personnel of all stakeholders deployed to work at the airports.

He added that the agreement “would also involve a comprehensive systems study of the Federal Ministry of Aviation, its parastatals as well as  continuous sensitisation of the travelling public and foreigners who use the airports not to compromise with offers of tips or bribes and report unwholesome acts to the ICPC.”

Speaking while signing the memorandum, Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka described corruption as a roadblock to national economic development .He ordered the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN ,   and the Nigerian Air Force to within two weeks flush out touts loitering around the arrival hall of the Lagos   International Airport.

Chidoka also urged FAAN to cancel concessions involving the use of trolleys at the international airport. He added that the Federal Government will install new close circuit