Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, is to strengthen economic regulation of all domestic airlines in 2017 as a way of checking increased cases of airlines neglecting the welfare of their staff. This is one of the 4 point agenda the agency will pursue in 2017.

Director General of the agency, Capt. Muhtar Usman, made this know while enumerating challenges, achievement and projections of the regulatory agency for the outgoing year and the new year, 2017. According to Usman ,”to sustain zero accident in aviation , reviewing and strengthening economic regulation, improve consumer protection and a continuous prioritization of training for the industry are part of the 4 point agenda for 2017”.

He also said the agency will sustain zero accidents in the aviation sector through an increase in safety oversight, wider and more regular surveillance, stringent enforcement of regulation as well as appropriate sanctions to apply.

The DG also revealed that in reviewing and strengthening economic regulation, the NCAA would ensure that the regulations were much more far-reaching and the airlines operational books will be looked into with increased regularity .

He further said the Consumer Protection Department will be motivated, and made visible at the airports. The officials would work with security agencies to stem passengers’ rage which has become a new phenomenon in the airports due to the high level of airline’s cancellations and flights delays.

Training of staff will be accorded priority this year according to the DG. He said training remains a key project of the NCAA as all staff will be trained locally or foreign where applicable to accelerate next generation of professionals and facilitate industry replacement for ageing workforce.

According to the NCAA DG, the year 2016 was a successful year in Nigeria as it recorded zero accident in the commercial transport category.

He also said ticket sales in 2015 between January and December stood at N385,909,897,028.80 billion while total passengers traffic for the year was 11,402,899 and 233,845 flights was recorded within the period.

He further said “ in 2015 airlines airlifted 42,000 passengers daily, 700 flights daily while 2016 also recorded an average of 42,000 daily and 597 flights on a daily basis. From January to September, 2016, 8,030,816 passengers were airlifted with 130,745 domestic flights. Also, foreign passengers between January and September, 2016 was 3,272,331 and with 33,099 flight. Total number of passengers was 11,344,936 and 163,833 flights in the past year”.

“From the statistics available, 2015/2016 passengers’ volume were similar with just marginal difference. 2016 had less number of flights, but, increased in passenger volume anticipated annually as we are still awaiting the last quarter 2016 data, which is under collation and authentication.”