Nigeria loses slot in Africa’s aviation body

Intrigues among officials of the Ministry of Aviation and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) have denied Nigeria the chance to have a representative in the continent’s regulatory body, African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC).

AFCAC’s responsibility is to foster a safe, secure, efficient, cost effective, sustainable and environmentally friendly civil aviation industry in Africa.

According to reports, the politics of succession into the office of the Director General cost Nigeria the slot of its representatives.

The NCAA is yet to send a replacement for its former Director General, Fidelis Onyeyiri, who was Nigeria’s representative in AFCAC for a decade.

Onyeyiri was sent to AFCAC by the Federal Government in 2006, following his ouster as former helmsman of NCAA.


Following the completion of his tenure as the country representative a few years ago, the NCAA is yet to send another representative for Nigeria.

The reason for the delay, investigations revealed, followed the intrigues and politics surrounding succession plan for the office of the director general for NCAA.

A source hinted that some individuals in NCAA, who are interested in the slot, have allegedly colluded not to send the name of any representatives after Onyeyiri completed his tenure.

Another Nigerian, who is and staff member of NCAA and works at AFCAC, Ms Iyabo Sosina, is said to be a ready replacement for Onyeyiri.

She was seconded to the office of the President of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).