LAGOS (SUNDIATA POST)- The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) says it has finalised plans to digitalise its operation to enhance the discharge of its oversight duties.
The Acting Director-General, NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo, disclosed this while declaring open a training programme for the Consumer Protection Portal, unveiled by the authority, on Friday in Lagos.
Najomo said that under the new arrangement, the NCAA would be deploying the necessary digital platforms for the processing of approvals, licenses, renewal of recertification, and the treatment of passengers’ complaints.
He said that the new portal would make it faster and more convenient to resolve complaints by passengers in record time and serve as a barometer for assessing the performance of both local and foreign airlines operating in Nigeria.
Najomo said that the capacity building programme was put together to equip personnel of airlines and the regulatory body.
He said that it was 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, the Acting Director General said that NCAA had to retool its responsibilities, by adopting the digitalisation of most of its operations, using the latest information technology applications.
”We have gone far. We started this MPIC process two years back and right now we have had some trainings. The people have come to train our people and they are deploying this system.
”This software is going to digitalise the whole system, the AOC system, certification, recertification, licensing, you will see it’s going to be awesome,” he said.
The NCAA boss said that the Minister of Aviation, Mr Festus Keyamo, SAN, was leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that local carriers had access to convenient aircraft acquisition, by engaging major airplane manufacturers.
”The minister has been doing a lot to assist in this direction by going around 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 has done so much.
”Very soon, you will see that result will come out so that our airlines will be able to get airplanes and bring them in for use.
”It is capacity that is making what we are having, having all these delays and cancellations, and all these airlines will key into it. Air Peace, United Nigeria Airlines, they are all doing everything possible to get dry lease aircraft, that is the way to go,” he said.
Speaking on the take-off of the minimum of six aircraft in the fleet policy for Nigerian carriers, Najomo said that NCAA was tweaking the policy to ensure its implementation aligns with the scope of operations of individual carriers.
”We are tweaking that, even though it takes effect from 2025, but we are looking at the regulation very well, whereby it will suit what operation you want to do.
”If you are going to go to a full-blown airline, we will look at the regulation and maybe the six aircraft that will come in. But some operators just want to do maybe Lagos-Ibadan, Lagos-Ilorin, and all that.
”So, we will look at the regulation and say, okay, maybe you should stick back to the three aircraft and see how it is. We want to encourage more people to come into the industry,” he said.
On the benefits of the training and the portal, Najomo said that the portal would provide on-time monitoring of airline performances.
He said that this was in addition to monitoring passenger handling procedures during checking, boarding, disembarkation, and discomfiture.
”The data gathered will give us, the regulator, you, the service provider and the public, the end-users, a reliable determination of performing airlines.
”Note that the public can see on the official NCA website, the performances of all airlines. Everyone will be able to gauge the best and worst-performing airlines from a consumer service standpoint.
”Now, this portal has not been unveiled; it is going to be launched, hence this training. We have done our training for the staffers, and we must engage all stakeholders to see how this portal works.
”I am sure at the end of this training it’s going to be so beneficial for everybody,” Najomo said. (NAN)
