“The NCAA needs more funding, not less. If you weaken the regulator financially, you weaken safety oversight. Aviation regulators all over the world are adequately funded because they are responsible for protecting lives,” says Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NCAA
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has warned that plans to reduce its statutory share of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) could undermine aviation safety and weaken its ability to effectively regulate Nigeria’s aviation industry.
The warning comes as the National Assembly considers a bill seeking to reduce the NCAA’s share of the TSC in favour of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).
Under the existing arrangement, the NCAA collects the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge and distributes the proceeds among key aviation agencies, including NAMA, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).
Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, the NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, said any reduction in the authority’s funding would directly affect its regulatory responsibilities and could ultimately compromise passenger safety.
“The NCAA needs more funding, not less. If you weaken the regulator financially, you weaken safety oversight. Aviation regulators all over the world are adequately funded because they are responsible for protecting lives,” he said.
He explained that although the NCAA serves as the industry’s safety regulator, it already shares a significant portion of the revenue generated through the Ticket Sales Charge with other aviation agencies.
According to him, the five per cent charge was originally introduced to reduce the Federal Government’s financial burden of funding the regulator.
“The concept for the creation of NAMA from the beginning was that it should be self-funded and not dependent on government funding,” he explained.
He added that, “The NCAA, as the safety regulator, was expected to be funded by government, but the Ticket Sales Charge was introduced to relieve government of that responsibility. Even from that funding window, a substantial portion is still shared with other agencies.”
Mr Achimugu said adequate funding is essential to ensure that aviation inspectors remain better trained than the operators they supervise.
He noted that regulators must continuously update their technical knowledge to keep pace with evolving aviation technology and international safety standards.
“The reason aircraft are not falling from the sky today under this administration, unlike in the past, is because of the NCAA,” he noted.
“The staff of the regulatory agency must be better trained than the service providers they regulate. If inspectors do not possess superior technical knowledge, they cannot effectively enforce safety standards.”
He added that the NCAA’s regulatory oversight has contributed significantly to Nigeria’s strong performance in international aviation safety and security audits, as well as improvements in passenger rights protection.
“The reason Nigeria continues to perform well in safety and security audits is because of the NCAA. The reason passengers’ rights are better protected today is because of the NCAA.”
Mr Achimugu disclosed that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, is already engaging stakeholders over the proposed funding changes.
He urged interested parties to allow the minister’s intervention to run its course instead of escalating the dispute through the media.
“The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development is already discussing the matter with all parties involved. There is no need for continued public statements aimed at influencing opinion while those discussions are ongoing,” he said.
The NCAA also dismissed reports suggesting it owed NAMA outstanding statutory remittances.
Mr Achimugu explained that remittances are processed directly by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), not by the authority itself.
“The NCAA does not make remittances directly to any agency. The CBN handles those payments, and from our checks, the remittances are being processed. Therefore, the issue of the NCAA owing anybody does not arise,” he explained.
He maintained that agencies with independent revenue-generating mandates should focus on strengthening their own funding sources rather than seeking a larger share of the regulator’s statutory allocation.
According to him, ensuring the NCAA remains financially strong is critical to sustaining aviation safety, regulatory independence and public confidence in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
