Nigeria Hits 91.45% in ICAO Aviation Safety Audit

Nigeria has achieved its highest-ever aviation safety rating of 91.45 percent in a recent audit by the International Civil Aviation Organization, surpassing global and regional averages and marking a significant leap from previous assessments. The result, announced this week following the ICAO's Coordinated Validation Mission conducted from April 15 to 22 in Abuja and other locations, underscores years of reforms in the country's aviation sector.

The score reflects effective implementation of international safety standards across regulatory bodies, airports, and airlines, as evaluated under ICAO's Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme. It represents a 21.22 percentage point increase from the 70.23 percent recorded in the 2023 audit, placing Nigeria well above the global average of 70.4 percent and the West African regional average of 61.1 percent. For the first time, all five international airports in the country, including the recently certified Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, have received full certification from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority. This milestone highlights improvements in aerodrome and ground aids, where scores rose from 57.5 percent to...