Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) has received Aerodrome certification from both the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) certification Teams.
While presenting the Aerodrome certificate to the Managing Director of Federal Airport Authority in Abuja on Friday, the Director General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Muhtar Usman stated that “the primary objective of the Global Air Navigation Plan is to achieve a safe, efficient, secure and environmentally friendly global air transport system through the deployment of harmonized, interoperable, seamless and standardized air navigation facilities, services and procedures, using well developed safety critical manpower”.
“Thus, the Certification of international airports as required by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 14 and part 12 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, is a global strategy for fostering global standards and uniformity in the provision and maintenance of the aerodrome and air navigation infrastructures and associated services, with the aim of enhancing safety and efficiency” he explained.
Muhtar noted that, “the attainment of this safety milestone is quite significant in view of the fact that less than 25% of international airports in the African and Indian Ocean Region are certified”.
“It will be recalled that on 10th August 2016, the West and Central African Region Office of ICAO launched a Project Team for the provision of technical support to states in the region towards achieving certification of international airports within 11 months in 8 states. This pilot project which was designed in line with ICAO vision of ‘No Country Left Behind’ included Nigeria, Gambia, Senegal, Niger, Mali, Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Cote d Ivoire”.
He stated further that “it is also interesting to note that with the certification of Abuja airport today, Nigeria has become the first state to achieve the certification of more than one international airport in the AFI Region”. Adding that, we are not resting on our oars, as the certification of Kano Port Harcourt and Enugu airports are scheduled for completion in the 1st, 2rd and 3rd quarter of 2018″.
“Abuja airport remains very unique in the aerodrome certification project as it was greatly facilitated with the provision of a totally resurfaced runway, with full compliment of Category 11 Precision Approach lighting, Runway Edge lighting, Runway Center line Lights, Touchdown Zones Lights, as well as Runway Threshold and Runway End lights” Murktar stated.
Responding, the Managing Director of Federal Airport Authority (FAAN), Engr. Saleh Dunoma said “today we have achieved this milestone and we have the certification of NAIA,” noting that, “we have also began the internal sensitization of the Kano, Kaduna and Port Harcourt airports”.
He tasked the certification teams to extend their experiences to the other airports awaiting certification.
It will be recalled that on 8th of September 2017, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos was cetified.