By ITOHAN ABARA-LASERIAN

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has warned that local airports operating without the necessary permits will face sanctions starting Jan. 1, 2026.

The Director of Aerodrome and Airspace Standards at NCAA, Godwin Balang, made this known on Monday at the Airstrip Owners and Operators Stakeholders Engagement Programme in Lagos.

According to Balang, this is not a threat but a collective resolve.

He said there are about 92 Airstrips (operational, non-operational and some under rehabilitation/new constructions) in Nigeria based on the existing NCAA Airstrip database.

According to him, interestingly, a few are already up to date with their valid operational permits.

?The aviation landscape has changed drastically in the recent years so the regulatory strategies must necessarily align with the realities of the season for a more impactful result.

?We will therefore need to tweak our regulations and other guiding documents accordingly. This is the crux of this engagement.

?It is worthy of mention that among these 92 airstrips 68 are Federal Government airstrips being managed by the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.

?While 24 belong to individuals and private organisations. This brings to the fore the need for deeper engagement of NCAA with the Ministry to streamline the operator and regulator status for effective management,? said Balang.

According to him, Section 71 (3) &; (4)(a) of the CAA 2022 empowers the Authority to certify and grant permits to conduct Aerodrome operations in Nigeria and to establish minimum safety standards for the design, operation, and maintenance of Aerodrome.

He said that the engagement was an alignment with this mandate to advance airstrip regulation in Nigeria.

?Besides the basic Aerodrome and Ground Aids (AGA) processes for permits, the importance of Aviation security will be emphasised.

?There is a need to fashion out strategies to address emerging threats while maximizing the use of the airstrips to contribute significantly to our socio-economic development as a nation.

?We are conscious of the fact that one day is obviously not enough to exhaust discussions on this important subject,? he said.

The Director-General of the NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo, identifying the objectives of the engagement, reiterated the purpose of regulatory duties of enshrined in the Civil Aviation Act 2022.

He said the engagement was to: ?enhance communication between NCAA state and private airstrip operators/owners; to clarify regulatory requirements applicable to airstrip construction, operations and safety standards.

?To identify and address challenges faced by state and private airstrip operators; to explore collaborative opportunities for airstrip development and integration into Nigeria?s aviations system. And finally.

?To promote the adoption of global best practices in airstrip operations and management,? Najomo said.

He, however, expressed hope that the objectives would be fully realised and airstrip operations in Nigeria will, henceforth, be conducted in strict compliance with all regulatory provisions and global best practices.

According to Najomo, the gathering is in fulfillment of this mandate with emphasis on airstrip operations, while ICAO Annex 14 Volume I specifies standards for certification of aerodromes, these standards may be considered over-reaching for airstrips.

?In line with our ease of-doing-business principle therefore, NCAA is working tirelessly to promulgate regulations customised for airstrips which would be a catalyst for the promotion and development of general aviation.

?While of course, maintaining safety standards. This aligns, strategically, with the Minister?s five-point agenda,? he added.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the engagement is with theme: ?Enhancing Safety, Compliance and Collaboration for Efficient Airstrips Operations?.

NAN also reports that the event had the representatives of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology; Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau; Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria among other aviation stakeholders. (NAN)

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