The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has said that it has begun implementation of Electronic Master Plan for Inspections and Certification (EMPIC) system on personnel licensing and medical certification.

The EMPIC software system assists aviation regulatory authorities in managing and conducting inspections, certifications, and oversight activities within the aviation industry, as well as and provides a centralised platform for aviation regulators to streamline and automate various processes related to inspections and certifications.

Furthermore, the system which is scheduled to take full effect on July 2, is designed to shorten the time required for pilots and other aviation professionals to obtain and renew licences and medical certificates.

Speaking in Lagos, at the NCAA digital transformation Initiative/EMPIC PEL | MED held at Lagos Airport, Director General of the NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo said the approach aligns with international best practices and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Annex 1 requirements for Personnel Licensing, global best practices in medical certification governance, data protection and cybersecurity principles and modern CAA digital governance standards

According to him, the initiative strengthens Nigeria’s standing within the global aviation community and enhances international confidence in NCAA-issued secured credentials.

Najomo noted that manual and semi-automated processes and validation, fragmented databases, paper-driven workflows, fragmented databases and limited traceability no longer meet the demands of ICAO SARPs compliance, real-time verification requirements, global mobility of licence holders, data integrity and audit traceability, increased industry volume and complexity, hence, the pillars of civil aviation such as security, integrity and operability must be supported by robust digital infrastructure.

“The deployment of the EMPIC Licensing and Medical Certification platform is the first phase in our response to this reality, and it represents our deliberate shift toward a data-driven, intelligent, audit-compliant Licensing and medical certification ecosystem; one that enhances integrity, transparency, and global credibility. Licensing and medical certification are not administrative functions; they are safety controls,” he said.

Speaking on the benefits of the transformation to the aviation community, including the regulator, the director general said there will be transparent online application process for initial, renewal, and conversion, real-time status visibility, reduced turnaround times as well as secure biometric-backed credentials, QR-code-based license verification, improved data accuracy and improved global portability of credentials for license holders.

“For medical centres, there will be clear integration with Aviation Medical Services, structured submission and appointment workflows, secure digital transmission of medical outcomes to AMS, and reduced administrative burden. For Airlines and Operators, there is real-time license verification capability, improved compliance assurance; reduced operational risk from invalid credentials.

“For the NCAA, it means enhanced oversight capability, centralised data and process integrity, improved audit readiness, improved analytics and workforce planning visibility and measurable regulatory accountability. This is not technology for its own sake. It is technology in service of safety and compliance with measurable impact. Governance and Data Integrity,” he added.

He emphasised that the system would strengthen regulatory control, as every transaction within the PEL | MED environment is time-stamped, role-tracked, audit logged and compliance validated.

“Let me re-emphasise here again that every action within the system leaves a regulatory footprint, which in essence protects the Authority, the operator, the licence holder, and ultimately, it protects the flying public. We have integrated identity/verification with the national framework – NIMC NIN for Nigerian applicants and passport validation for foreign license holders,” he stated. (Nigerian Tribune)