Nigerian domestic airlines are in a race to meet the January 2025 deadline set by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to raise their minimum aircraft to six.
Amidst the opposition trailing the move by the NCAA which has been inculcated in the recently amended Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NigCAR), the regulatory authority said there is no going back on the requirement.
This is just as experts and stakeholders are now calling on the airlines to explore the possibility of merger to remain in business.
According to the Director-General of NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu, the new requirement will help the airlines to be on a strong financial footing to provide services to the passengers.
Gists9ja reports that the amendment provides a minimum of six aircraft for a start-up carrier.
Part Nine of the NigCAR 2023 that deals with Air Operator Certification and Administration explicitly makes provision for the new aircraft requirement.
The existing airlines have, however, been given the grace of January 2025 to embark on a fleet expansion programme to have at least a minimum of six operating aircraft for their AOC to remain valid.
The provision reads: “The Authority may deny an application for an AOC if it determines that:
“The applicant is not adequately equipped or is not capable of conducting safe commercial air transport operations or unable to maintain its aircraft.
“The applicant does not have: (i) for scheduled operation, at least Six (6) Nigerian registered airworthy aircraft capable of servicing its approved routes on commencement of operations provided that no AOC holder in scheduled operations will have a minimum of 4 Nigerian registered airworthy aircraft at any given time.
“(ii) For non-scheduled operation, one (1) Nigerian registered airworthy aircraft. The applicant previously held an AOC that was revoked; or a person who contributed to the circumstances causing the revocation process of an AOC obtains a substantial ownership in the applicant or is employed by the applicant in a position required by this part.
“The provisions of 9.1.1.6(b)(i) shall become effective on 1st July 2023 for all new applicants except as provided in (d); (d) The provisions of 9.1.1.6(b)(i) shall become effective on 1st January 2025 for all existing AOC holders and new AOC applicants who have submitted an acceptable formal AOC application package to the Authority before 1st July, 2023 for scheduled CAT.”
Active and not so active airlines in Nigeria
Currently, Nigeria has 12 scheduled airlines: Air Peace, Aero Contractors, Arik Air, Max Air, Azman, Dana Air, Ibom Air, Green Africa, Overland, Rano Air, ValueJet and United Nigeria Airlines (UNA).
If the new regulations are to be implemented, only about five of the airlines would remain in operation as most of them have less than six active Nigerian registered aircraft.
Checks by our correspondent indicated that Ibom Air, for instance, has five Nigerian registered aircraft, Green Africa has three, Rano Air, 3; ValueJet, 3. Azman is currently not operating as none of its aircraft for domestic operations is active.
Dana Air has eight aircraft, but less than six are currently operating. However, the airline has embarked on expansion plans that would see it take delivery of more aircraft.
Overland also has less than six aircraft active, but is banking on its pending order for more aircraft, especially the Embraer E175 with the first received last week.
Max Air also has fewer aircraft for domestic operation but has a fleet of seven aircraft comprising its Jumbo 747 jets for Hajj operations.
Air Peace has the biggest fleet in the industry with over 30 aircraft and several others on order.
Our correspondent learnt that despite the opposition, the carriers have strategised on their expansion plans in order to meet the 2025 deadline as many of them have pending aircraft order while some recently made fresh order.
However, given that aircraft acquisition is not something to be purchased off the shelf, many of the airlines have up to 15 months to meet the new requirements.
Air Peace had, in 2019, ordered for 13 aircraft, but only six have been received even as Ibom Air in November, 2021 ordered 10 A220 aircraft valued at $905m while none has been received. Overland Air at the same time ordered six Embraer E175 jets while only one was received early this month.
