NCAA Fixes April 2, 2026, for Full EMPIC PEL/MED Enforcement
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has fixed April 2, 2026, as the date for the full operationalisation and mandatory enforcement of the EMPIC Personnel Licensing and Medical Certification (PEL/MED) system, providing long-awaited regulatory clarity for Nigeria’s aviation industry.
The Authority said while the EMPIC PEL/MED platform has officially gone live, the industry is currently in a controlled transition phase, with full enforcement deferred until April 2026 to allow for system stability, data integrity and stakeholder preparedness.
Director-General of Civil Aviation, Captain Chris Najomo, made this clarification during the EMPIC PEL/MED Go-Live Stakeholder Engagement at the NCAA headquarters in Abuja, stressing that the Go-Live status should not be confused with mandatory implementation.
“I wish to clearly state that the full operationalisation of EMPIC PEL/MED will take place on the 2nd of April, 2026. I repeat, it will take place on the 2nd of April, 2026,” Najomo said.
He explained that the Go-Live phase confirms the successful completion of system configuration, testing and stakeholder readiness assessments, marking the platform’s availability for controlled use, familiarisation and final transition activities rather than immediate enforcement.
“Today, Go-Live signifies the successful completion of the system requirements for configuration, testing, and stakeholder readiness activities. It marks the availability of the EMPIC PEL/MED platform for controlled use and final transition activities,” he said.
According to the Director-General, the phased implementation is deliberate, given the safety-critical nature of aviation regulation, where errors in licensing or medical certification could have far-reaching consequences.
“This phased approach is necessary to ensure system stability, stakeholders’ preparedness, data integrity and regulatory continuity,” he added.
Between now and April 2, 2026, the NCAA will run parallel systems while gradually migrating all personnel licensing and aviation medical certification processes to EMPIC PEL/MED. During this period, the Authority will focus on data validation and migration, user onboarding and the full integration of authorised aviation medical examiners into the platform.
Najomo said stakeholder workshops, user support sessions and transition notices would intensify in the coming months to ensure a smooth changeover across the aviation ecosystem.
“Upon operationalisation on April 2, 2026, EMPIC PEL/MED will become the official and mandatory platform for all applicable personnel licensing and aviation medical certification transactions, in line with NCAA regulations,” he said.
Beyond regulatory compliance, the NCAA said the new system would significantly cut processing times for pilots, engineers, air traffic controllers and other licensed aviation professionals. Under the previous manual and semi-digital processes, licence renewals and medical certifications often took weeks to complete.
Describing the reform as a practical expression of the Authority’s ease-of-doing-business agenda, Najomo said the system would permanently eliminate longstanding bottlenecks.
“What normally takes one week, two weeks or sometimes one month will now take just a few minutes. Once you go online, apply, and it is approved, you get it,” he said.
He acknowledged persistent pressure from operators and pilots affected by delays under the old system, noting that EMPIC PEL/MED was designed to end such frustrations.
“You won’t need to keep calling the DG again,” he added.
Also speaking, Director of Aerodrome and Airspace Standards, Engr Godwin Gyang Balang, described EMPIC PEL/MED as a structural regulatory reform rather than a routine technology upgrade. He said the platform aligns Nigeria with a small group of civil aviation authorities operating ICAO-approved digital licensing systems.
“The Go-Live phase of the EMPIC personnel licensing and medical certification system is a landmark digital solution that positions our industry for greater efficiency, transparency and global competitiveness,” Balang said.
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