NIGERIA has attained a 91.4 percent aviation safety rating following the latest assessment by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) under its Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM), marking one of the country’s strongest performances in recent years.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced the development yesterday in Abuja, describing the score as one of the highest Nigeria has recorded in ICAO evaluations since 1960.
He noted that the rating followed a comprehensive audit of aviation agencies and airlines operating in the country, all of which were assessed and certified safe based on the ICAO team’s findings.
Keyamo credited the achievement to the deliberate policies and support of President Bola Tinubu towards strengthening the aviation sector.
The ICVM team concluded its on-site safety oversight audit yesterday, after beginning its review the previous week.
The exercise served as a follow-up to the ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme conducted between August and September 2023.
The minister also highlighted recent Federal Government measures aimed at easing financial pressure on airline operators, particularly in response to rising Jet A1 fuel costs and concerns over possible service disruptions.
According to him, President Tinubu approved a significant discount on certain outstanding fees owed by airlines to the government, as part of efforts to provide immediate relief and ensure the stability of air transport services in the country.
