The House Committee on Delegated Legislation of the National Assembly has called for stronger legislative oversight of Nigeria’s aviation regulatory framework, including measures to ensure airlines meet their statutory financial obligations to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The call was made on Wednesday, when members of the committee paid a familiarisation visit to the NCAA’s corporate headquarters in Abuja, where they held discussions with the authority’s management on aviation regulation, delegated legislation, consumer protection and the enforcement of regulatory provisions.
The visit provided an opportunity for both institutions to examine the regulatory framework governing the aviation industry and explore areas where legislative interventions could strengthen the NCAA’s effectiveness.
Welcoming the lawmakers, the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Capt. Chris Najomo, emphasised the importance of sustained engagement between the NCAA and the National Assembly, particularly in ensuring that Nigeria’s aviation regulatory regime remains responsive to developments in the sector and aligned with international standards.
Najomo said the Civil Aviation Act 2022, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCAR) 2023 and other regulatory instruments constitute the legal and regulatory foundation for the NCAA’s responsibilities.
According to him, the framework empowers the authority to oversee aviation safety and security, regulate the economic aspects of the industry and protect the rights and interests of air passengers.
He stressed that continuous collaboration with lawmakers was necessary to strengthen the regulatory system and ensure that Nigeria’s aviation laws remained consistent with the standards and recommended practices of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The Chairman of the House Committee on Delegated Legislation, Rt. Hon. Olufemi Richard Bamishile, said the visit was aimed at deepening the committee’s understanding of the NCAA’s operations, particularly its rule-making process and the implementation of delegated legislation.
Bamishile also raised concerns over outstanding statutory remittances owed by airlines, arguing that legislative amendments could be introduced to make the collection and remittance of applicable funds more effective.
He advocated provisions that would permit the immediate deduction and remittance of such funds to the NCAA, thereby reducing delays and improving the authority’s ability to discharge its statutory responsibilities.
The lawmaker’s position underscores the committee’s interest in ensuring that regulatory agencies have timely access to funds legally due to them, while also strengthening accountability within the aviation sector.
Another member of the committee, Hon. Rufus Adeniyi Ojuawo, sought explanations from the NCAA on the persistent cases of flight delays and cancellations experienced by passengers.
Ojuawo asked what measures were being implemented by the regulator and industry stakeholders to address the disruptions and prevent their recurrence.
Responding on behalf of the NCAA, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, explained that inadequate aircraft capacity had previously contributed significantly to flight disruptions.
Achimugu noted that the problem could become particularly severe when an airline depended on a single aircraft to operate several routes. In such circumstances, the unavailability of the aircraft could have a cascading effect, leaving passengers on multiple routes stranded.
He said the situation was being addressed partly through the introduction of additional aircraft into airline fleets, including aircraft acquired through dry-lease arrangements.
According to him, efforts were also under way to develop a system that would enable passengers affected by flight disruptions to be rebooked on other airlines where necessary.
Such an arrangement, he indicated, would help reduce the impact of cancellations and prolonged delays on passengers and improve the industry’s response to operational disruptions.
The issue of the legal framework governing the NCAA also featured prominently during the engagement.
Responding to the committee chairman’s call for legislative amendments, the NCAA’s Director of Legal Services, Mrs Mary Tufano-Eche, disclosed that the review of the Civil Aviation Act had reached its final stages in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice.
She said the legislation would be further updated before being presented to the National Assembly for consideration.
The development is expected to provide an opportunity to address areas of the existing law that may require strengthening in response to emerging developments and challenges within Nigeria’s aviation industry.
The familiarisation visit ended with the NCAA and the House Committee agreeing to sustain engagement on delegated legislation, regulatory reforms and other issues affecting the effective regulation of the aviation sector.
The renewed collaboration is expected to strengthen the relationship between the regulator and the legislature while supporting efforts to improve aviation safety, consumer protection, regulatory compliance and the overall sustainability of the industry.
About The Author
