The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), on Monday, November 2, 2026, commenced a five-day Airports Council International (ACI) - International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Aerodrome Certification Course for personnel in its Directorate of Aerodrome and Airspace Standards (DAAS).
The intensive training will be conducted in three sets, with two batches in each set. The first set will run from 2nd to 6th November, 2026; the second and third sets will run from 9th to 13th November and 16th to 20th November, 2026, respectively.
Delivering his remarks in Lagos, the Director-General Civil Aviation (DGCA), Capt. Chris Najomo, represented by the Regional Manager, NCAA Lagos Office, Mrs Olubukola Teriba, described aerodrome certification as an important component of the State's aviation safety oversight system, providing a structured process through which the Authority validates aerodrome's compliance with applicable safety requirements for its intended operations.
The course aims to consolidate the gains already achieved, strengthen inspectors' technical competence, and promote greater consistency in applying certification and surveillance requirements.
While commending stakeholders for their collective efforts, which have yielded significant results, he highlighted that five designated international aerodromes in Nigeria have achieved certification.
Furthermore, the 2026 ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM) recorded a remarkable improvement in the Aerodromes and Grounds Aids (AGA) Effective Implementation score from roughly 57.6 per cent to 95.16 per cent, while Nigeria's overall Effective Implementation improved from 70.23 per cent to 91.30 per cent.
The DGCA disclosed that the Authority, working closely with relevant stakeholders, intensified regulatory engagement, conducted technical inspections, prioritised safety deficiencies, strengthened corrective action planning and evidence management, among others.
He, therefore, called for continuous surveillance and competence to sustain the feat, and expressed NCAA's firm commitment to developing and maintaining a competent, professional and effective inspectorate capable of discharging its statutory responsibilities and fulfilling Nigeria's obligations under the international aviation safety framework.
The Director, Aerodrome and Airspace Standards, Alh. Ahmad Abba, mni, represented by the General Manager, Aerodrome Standards (Ground Handling Oversight), Mr Chukwu Emmanuel, stated that the programme is a special, carefully-designed initiative that merges ACI and ICAO concepts, noting that sustaining the certification of the five aerodromes demands competence, knowledge and intentional commitment.
The programme, covering aerodrome certification standards, regulatory requirements, aerodrome manuals, Safety Management Systems, emergency planning, auditing techniques and certification procedures, including practical exercises and site visits, is organised by CRID led by its Regional Director for Africa, Mr Nicholas Aitalegbe, in collaboration with the ACI led by the Manager, Airport Solutions, Mr Martins Okeke.
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