Hurdles to get Lagos, Abuja airports scale ICAO certification

A few years ago, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), set May, 2017 as timeline for Nigeria to achieve certification its over 20 aerodromes. But, the inspection of Lagos and Abuja airports by a follow up team of the global body, recently on technical assistance preparatory for the exercise, has raised more questions than answers, CHUKWUEMEKE IWELUNMO reports…

Nigeria is on the verge of benefiting from a global coalition to address deficiencies in its airport infrastructure procedures, architecture, aerodrome operational processes if all goes as planned . The new coalition is a partnership between the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), under the follow up of the African – Indian Ocean (AFI) project to assist Nigeria achieve its aerodrome certification process.

But, the partnership is not coming in a vacuum , but, after many years of engagement by Nigeria to ensure its over 28 airports are certified by both the local regulator and ICAO .

Eleven years after NCAA, got its regulatory autonomy, it is yet to certify any airport because the airports lack the basic requirements to enable the aerodromes get the safety endorsement. Since 2006, the regulator has engaged other agencies including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to equip aerodromes with the required manpower and infrastructure to qualify them for global certification.

But, this is yet to happen because many aerodromes in Nigeria lack functional and effective aerodrome operations manual, emergency plan as well as aerodrome security programme prescribed by the ICAO.

In the last 20 years efforts by government to certify any of the 22 airports in Nigeria has not yielded positive result because the aerodromes have consistently failed to meet prescribed regulatory checklist in the area of safety and security. Inability to certify the airports came on the heels inability by Nigeria to meet requirements on infrastructure, technical personnel and procedures to enable them get the international technical, operational and safety endorsement.

Worried over this trend, government a few years ago embarked on serious infrastructure upgrade at airports at both the land and airside. This is in addition to other measures put in place by government to ensure the necessary processes and procedure at airports qualify them for certification. Nigeria like other African countries have worked hard to ensure their airports meet the minimum safety standards set by the global body.

In Nigeria, many fire fighting equipment were acquired for airports, in addition to runway markings for many airports as well as the design of many airport operations manual preparatory for the ICAO aerodrome certification.

According to Peter Hampson, an international aviation consultant , who has worked with many governments and regulators on airport certification , for any airport to be certified, it must have adequate fire cover, efficient airspace communication infrastructure, water hydrant, fire fighting vehicles, airfield lighting, coupled with lack of perimeter fencing. Without these facilities, according to Hampson ,no airport will be certified in line with standard airport system stipulated by the global aviation regulatory body.

He said ICAO certification requirements stipulate that an airport must have operational and perimeter fencing, certified aviation security personnel, state-of-the-art navigational equipment, while the personnel must be regularly trained and retrained.

Other conditions, he said include standard runway and runway strength known as the Pavement Classification Number (PCN), which enable airports and airlines to know if a given aircraft may put undue stress on a runway, non-interference from government; adequate fire tenders; standard instrument landing systems; fuelling; baggage handling, apron and quick response to distress, among others. Since, 2013, Nigerian government has put measures in place to address these gaps.

Only recently, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) selected the Abuja and Lagos airports for certification. The world aviation regulatory body according to ICAO Regional Director, Western and Central Africa ( WACAF) Mam Sait Jallow selected the two airports in Nigeria as part of steps for the implementation of the Africa Aerodrome Certification Project for both aerodromes.

Jallow was part of a delegation of ICAO that visited Nigeria to assist the NCAA in the process that see the two airports certified. Jallow was accompanied to Nigeria by an ICAO regional officer, Nika Manzi to begin the process of Abuja and Lagos Airports certification .

Speaking at the headquarters of the NCAA, in Lagos the ICAO team said the objective of their visit in Nigeria was to follow up on the African-Indian Ocean (AFI) Plan project and assist Nigeria with technical guidance towards the certification process.

According to investigations, the two airports were selected due to their volume of traffic in addition to having the highest passenger traffic in Africa. Before the ICAO’s team visit to Nigeria, the global body at its recent assembly adopted the African regional plan to address safety status of aircraft operations .

Speaking on the development, Director General of NCAA, Captain Mukthar Usman said the plan is to benefit countries including Nigeria to address focal areas bordering on establishment and maintenance of sustainable oversight system on infrastructure and capacity building .

He said : ” It is to assist states to resolve identified deficiencies within reasonable time to enhance aviation safety culture for aviation service providers.” He said ICAO and WACAF last year signed a Memorandum of understanding with NCAA and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to facilitate the certification of airports in Nigeria.

After a three day tour of facilities and meetings with Nigerian officials , Usman said all necessary instrumentation for the airports certification are already in place in line with ICAO Standard and Recommended Practices (SARPs) as well as then Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs). Usman said aerodrome certification in Nigeria will be carried out in five phases .

Though, he did not list the phases, but hinted that Lagos and Abuja Airports have already reached phases three and two respectively .He said the authority has trained technical personnel who are very competent to handle the challenges that may be encountered during the certification exercise.

Usman however assured that Nigeria will meet the certification requirements within the stipulated time frame. Investigations reveal that FAAN, NCAA and NAMA have collaborated to close gaps in infrastructure and operational procedures to ensure that Nigeria scales through the certification . But, some experts including Group Captain John Ojikutu, Chief Executive Officer of Centurion Securities Limited has drawn attention to sore points in Nigerian airports.

He said government should go beyond panic measures to get global certification to begin to look at porous security at airports and failure to comply with Annex 17 of ICAO regulations which prescribes that all airports should have a functional perimeter and security fences .

Ojikutu said :” How many areas of our airports have received attention ? What about the landing instrument, security and communication infrastructure, water hydrants, fire fighting vehicles, airfield lighting and interrupted, 24-hour electricity supply ? “What have done about equipment for the control and prevention of bird strikes , conveyor belts, functional air-conditioning systems for the terminals?

” What about the avio-bridges, sufficient apron buses to halt the risky practice whereby passengers walk through the tarmacs to board aircraft ? “This is the only way we can get our airports to be certified.”

Another expert, who pleaded not to be named said though certification of Nigerian airports is good, but expressed doubts whether such endorsement will guarantee 24 hours safety at the terminal . He said :” Does airport certification mean that our airports is always safe? ” Does it mean that there will not be stowaway incidences without fencing the airport ?”

Speaking in an interview in Lagos, Briggs Kari, an airport operations consultant said certification of Nigerian airports will not only boost safety, but will also nuance efficiency and profitability . Citing Airport Council International (ACI), the global airports regulator template, Kari said certification will make Nigerian airports more compliant with national and international regulations .

He said :” A few questions needs to be asked about airport certification in Nigeria. Is the operator ready to maintain safety at the aerodrome at all times ? “How prepared is the airport authority to ensure that there is a safety management system in place to address hazards and risks .”

” What is the personnel competence and infrastructure level, compared to the type of operations at any airport ? ” But, airport certifications helps to make the airports have robust procedures, enhanced training and efficiencies , safety and profitability.