Stories by Ime Akpan Lagos
Nigeria and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) have agreed to heighten preparation and investment to sustainably manage anticipated traffi c growth and fully capital- ize on the signifi cant progress the country has already achieved in developing its aviation sector. Th e commitment was made in Abuja at a recent bilateral meeting between the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, and the President of the ICAO Council, Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu.
Th e meeting took place concurrently with the ICAO African and Indian Ocean Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (AFI RPAS) Symposium, for which Dr. Aliu delivered the opening address. During the meeting, Aliu thanked the federal government for hosting the AFI RPAS Symposium and for accepting to host the third edition of the ICAO World Aviation Forum (IWAF/3), which will take place in Abuja in November 2017.
He stressed that these initiatives were a testimony to Nigeria’s cooperation and support for the development of aviation at the national, regional and international levels. Aliu and Osinbajo concurred on aviation’s role as an enabler and catalyst for economic growth, with the acting president highlighting the prioritization of the sector within the country’s national developmental strategy. Focusing on human resources capacity building and aviation infrastructure development, Aliu stressed the need for preparation in order to ensure the sustainable management of air traffi c growth and fully benefi t from the opportunities it off ers. He also underscored the important gains made by ICAO, in collaboration with the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), under the recently established Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) for Africa, in addition to the opportunities provided by IWAF/3. Osinbajo affi rmed the importance of ICAO’s contributions to Nigeria and the country’s ambitions to develop as a regional air transport hub. In that regard, he highlighted ongoing eff orts to encourage private sector participation to facilitate the mobilization of the required capital investment, including through the concession of airport operations and services.
Noting the key contributions of unmanned aircraft systems, the acting president also expressed Nigeria’s commitment to fully implement the outcomes of the RPAS Symposium. Recognizing progress on a number of strategic projects, such as the upgrading of the Nigerian College of Aviation Training (NCAT) into an ICAO Regional Training Centre of Excellence (RTCE), the establishment of an Aerospace University, and the certifi cation of Nigeria’s aerodromes and Aviation Security Training Centre (ASTC), Aliu reiterated that the sustainable development of aviation in Nigeria calls for the strengthening of the autonomy of its civil aviation authority and reinvestment of aviation revenues into the sector. He also stressed ICAO’s commitment to supporting Nigeria as it addresses these issues, through its No Country Left Behind initiative and the ICAO Western and Central Africa Regional Offi ce.
Th e council president also met with heads of Nigeria’s aviation chiefs – the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and Nigerian Meteorological Agency as well as the Nigerian College of Aviation Training – and visited the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport of Abuja, where signifi cant progress on infrastructure is being achieved. Th e meetings provided opportunities to exchange views on challenges and opportunities in the aviation sector, and the need to improve eff ective implementation of aviation safety and security oversight, capacity and quality of services.
Th e bilateral initiatives were complemented by Aliu’s meeting with the vice president of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mr. Edward Singhateh, and the executive director and staff of the Banjul Accord Regional Aviation Safety Oversight Organization (BAGASOO).
