NCAA to Digitalise Operations for Quicker Audit, Resolution of Passengers’ Complaints, Renewal of Certificates

Chinedu Eze

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced that it would fully embrace digitalization in its operations to reduce processing time in auditing of airlines, issuance and renewal of certificates and resolution of passengers’ complaints.

Under the new arrangement, NCAA would be deploying the necessary digital platforms for the processing of approvals, licenses, renewal of recertification as well as the treatment of passengers’ complaints.

Acting Director General, NCAA, Captain Chris Najomo disclosed this at the weekend in Lagos while declaring open a training programme for the Consumer Protection Portal unveiled by the authority.

According to Najomo, the new portal will not only make it faster and convenient to resolve complaints by passengers in record time, it will also serve as a barometer for assessing the performance of both local and foreign airlines operating into Nigeria.

Najomo said the capacity building programme was put together to equip personnel of airlines and the regulatory body to find lasting solutions to incessant complaints lodged by passengers on either delayed or cancelled flights and other service failures in the travel space.

To drive this, he said the NCAA has to retool its responsibilities by adopting the digitalization of most of its operations using the latest information technology applications.

He said: “We have gone far. We started this MPIC process (MIPC is a mobile real-time video surveillance software used with Cloud IP Camera for surveillance) two years back and right now we’ve had some trainings. The people have come to train our people and they are deploying this system. The AOC (Air Operator Certificate) system, certification, recertification, licensing, you will see it’s going to be awesome.”

The NCAA boss said the Minister of Aviation, Mr Festus Keyamo is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that local carriers have access to convenient aircraft acquisition by engaging major airplane manufacturers.

He said: “The minister has been doing a lot to assist in this direction by going round to talk to airplane makers and other players on how to get aircraft. He has been engaging Boeing, Embraer, and others on how to secure dry leasing for our local airlines. And he’s done so much. Very soon you’ll see that result will come out so that our airlines will be able to get airplanes and bring them in for use.

“It’s capacity that is making what we’re having, having all these delays and cancellations. And all these airlines will key into it. Air Peace, United Nigeria Airlines, they’re all doing everything possible to get dry lease aircraft. That is the way to go.”