Airlines not meeting their financial obligations is dangerous for sector’s stability – NCAA

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has condemned the persistent failure of some airlines to meet their financial obligations, describing the trend as a major threat to the sector’s stability.

The Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Captain Chris Najomo, however, expressed the resolve of NCAA to implement stricter enforcement measures to confront the growing burden of poor compliance to financial regulatory standards and obligations by airlines.

Captain Chris Najomo save this indication at the 2025 Civil Aviation Cost Recovery Optimization Stakeholders Retreat themed: “Strengthening Collaboration for Revenue Optimization and Operational Efficiency” held in Lagos on Friday, 24th October, 2025.

Represented by the Director of Operations, Licensing and Training Standards (DOLTS), Capt. Donald Spiff, disclosed that the NCAA will introduce a Zero Debt Strategy beginning January 2026, consisting of mandatory Advance Payment Guarantees (APG) from airlines to address rising indebtedness to the Authority.

This new framework, according to Capt. Najomo, will strengthen accountability, enhance operational efficiency, and ensure sustainable growth in line with the Federal Government’s economic agenda and the strategic initiatives of the Hon. Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN) in terms of revenue optimization and the growth of the aviation sector.

The Programme was coordinated by the NCAA Directorate of Finance and Accounts (DFA) led by Mr Olufemi Odukoya, in collaboration with Javier Technologies Limited.