The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has commenced a mandatory five-day indoctrination training programme for newly recruited officers into its Flight Standards Group (FSG), as part of sustained efforts to reinforce aviation safety regulation and build technical capacity within the Authority.
The training programme officially began on Monday, 12 January 2026, at the NCAA Lagos Regional Office Annex Training Hall in Ikeja, bringing together the first batch of officers recently recruited to strengthen the NCAA’s safety oversight directorates.
In his keynote address at the induction ceremony, the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Capt. Chris Najomo, emphasised that the indoctrination exercise aligns with Management’s strategic priority of continuous staff development and enhanced technical proficiency across the Flight Standards Group.
He described the FSG as the technical nerve centre of the NCAA, noting that its effectiveness depends largely on the competence, professionalism and ethical standards of its personnel.
Capt. Najomo explained that the programme is a compulsory requirement under Training Category One of the NCAA Inspector Training System (ITS), which is designed to ensure that inspectors and technical officers meet established regulatory and international standards before undertaking safety oversight responsibilities.
He encouraged the participants to be disciplined, attentive and fully engaged throughout the training, stressing that the knowledge gained would be critical to their future roles as aviation safety regulators.
According to the DGCA, the complexity and dynamic nature of the aviation industry require regulators to be well-grounded in both national regulations and international best practices, adding that the NCAA will continue to invest in structured training programmes to keep its workforce competent and globally relevant.
Delivering his welcome remarks, the Director of Airworthiness and Chairman of the Flight Standards Group, Engr. Godwin Balang, commended the DGCA for his consistent support for capacity-building initiatives and for personally identifying with the indoctrination programmes.
He assured management that the FSG remains committed to upholding professionalism, technical excellence and objectivity in the discharge of its statutory safety oversight functions.
Also addressing the participants, the Director of Human Resources and Administration, Dr. (Mrs) Anastasia Gbem, reiterated the critical role of the NCAA as Nigeria’s sole civil aviation regulator.
She noted that the Authority has achieved notable milestones in recent years, attributing these successes to strong leadership, improved institutional processes and a renewed focus on human capital development under Capt. Najomo’s administration.
Dr. Gbem urged the newly inducted officers to approach their duties with a strong sense of responsibility, integrity and dedication, reminding them that their actions directly affect aviation safety, operational efficiency and public confidence in the aviation sector.
The Flight Standards Group is made up of several specialised directorates within the NCAA that jointly carry out safety oversight functions.
These include the Directorate of Airworthiness; the Directorate of Aerodrome and Airspace Standards; the Directorate of Operations, Licensing and Training Standards; as well as the Directorate of Legal Services and Company Secretary.
The indoctrination programme is expected to familiarise the new officers with the NCAA’s regulatory framework, inspectorate procedures and organisational culture, thereby preparing them to effectively contribute to the Authority’s mandate of ensuring safe, secure and efficient civil aviation operations in Nigeria.
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