NCAA Warns Funding Cuts Could Threaten Aviation Safety

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has warned that any reduction in its share of the Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) could undermine aviation safety and weaken its ability to effectively regulate the country’s aviation industry.

Speaking in Abuja, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, said attempts to reduce the NCAA’s statutory allocation in favour of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) could cripple the Authority’s regulatory oversight and put air travellers at risk.

Achimugu explained that the NCAA currently collects a five per cent Ticket Sales Charge and remits statutory shares to NAMA, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), as provided by law.

He maintained that the NCAA requires stronger funding to sustain safety oversight, noting that aviation regulators worldwide are adequately funded because of their critical responsibility for protecting lives.

According to him, the Authority’s effective regulation has contributed to Nigeria’s strong performance in international aviation safety and security audits, while also strengthening the protection of passengers’ rights.

Achimugu added that regulatory inspectors must receive continuous training and remain technically superior to the service providers they supervise in order to enforce safety standards effectively.

He urged agencies with independent revenue-generating mandates to strengthen their own funding sources rather than seek a larger share of the NCAA’s allocation.

The NCAA spokesman also disclosed that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has intervened to resolve the dispute.

He further dismissed reports that the NCAA is indebted to NAMA, explaining that statutory remittances are processed directly by the Central Bank of Nigeria and not by the Authority itself.