NCAA’s certification of Abuja airport raises investors’ eagerness

Investigation by National Daily has revealed that more factors are building up for the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja following weekend’s certification by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

The federal government had earlier last month listed the airport and three others for immediate concessioning and has also hinted that multiple bids especially from the Arab world have been received by the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE).

Analysts who spoke withNational Daily says that the recent certification will among other thing, jerk up appetite for more credible bidders from across the world to join in the race for the management of the national asset.

Already, several analysts are nursing fears over the observed multiple interests from Middle East investors considering security and safety issues surrounding the region.

Handing over the Certificate Giving to the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Saleh Dunoma, in Abuja on Friday, NCAA boss, Muktar Usman, said the certificate is in line with requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Annex 14, and part 12 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations on safety of air navigation.

According to him, “The primary objective of global air navigation plan was to achieve a safe, efficient, secured and environmentally friendly global air transport system through the deployment of harmonised air navigation facilities”.

“It is a global strategy for fostering standards and uniformity in the maintenance of aerodrome and air navigation infrastructure and associated services, with the aim of enhancing safety and efficiency.

Continuing, Usman averred that “You would recall that the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos was certified on September 18, during which we promised to complete the certification of Abuja airport.

“We are therefore pleased to fulfill this promise today with the certification of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria as the Certified Aerodrome Operator of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.’’

He also revealed that less than 25 per cent of international airports in the Africa and Indian Ocean Region had been certified, adding that only Nigeria had two airports certified in the region.

Usman also commended the certification teams of FAAN and NCAA and Aerodrome Certification Project Team of the West and Central African Regional Office of ICAO for the attainment of the certification.

NCAA noted that the Project Team was inaugurated by ICAO in August 2016, to provide technical support to states in the region toward achieving certification of international airports within 11 months in eight states.

National Daily gathered that the pilot project designed in line with lCAO vision of ‘No Country is  Left Behind’ included Nigeria, Gambia, Senegal, Niger, Mali, Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Cote d’ Ivoire.

Responding, Managing Director of FAAN, Dunoma commended NCAA aerodrome certification team for their commitment toward the project, and assured that his agency is working towards seamless certification of all international airports in Nigeria within the shortest time possible.