The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has debunked reports suggesting that Nigerian airlines have been banned by the United States, clarifying that these claims are unfounded.
In a statement issued on Monday, Capt. Chris Najomo, Acting Director General of Civil Aviation, emphasized that the delisting of Nigeria from Category One status by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is not linked to any safety or security deficiencies in Nigeria’s aviation oversight.
The NCAA reassured the public of Nigeria's aviation sector's continued safety and security.
According to the NCAA boss, Nigeria attained Category One status in August 2010, which allowed Nigerian airlines to operate Nigerian-registered aircraft and dry-leased foreign-registered aircraft into the United States, in line with the existing Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA).
However, from September 2022, the U.S. FAA de-listed Category One countries with no indigenous operator providing service to the U.S. or carrying the airline code of a U.S. operator within 2 years.
The NCAA clarified that Nigerian operators can still operate in the U.S. using an aircraft wet-leased from a country with a current Category One status.
The NCAA also emphasized that it continues to adhere strictly to international safety and security standards and respects the sovereignty of States, including the United States of America, as enshrined in Article One of the Convention on International Civil Aviation.