The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced plans to partner with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to enhance the training and development of aviation personnel across Nigeria.
The initiative aims to equip aviation personnel in the country with the skills needed to meet global standards and ensure operational excellence in the industry.
The announcement was made by the Acting Director General of NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo, during a strategic meeting with IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil H. Al-Awadhi, at the Authority’s headquarters in Abuja, as contained in a statement of NCAA’s official website.
“The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has expressed readiness to partner International Air Transport Association (IATA) in providing qualitative training and retraining for its workforce.
“Acting Director General Nigeria Civil Aviation (Ag. DGCA), Capt. Chris Najomo made this known during a strategic meeting with the leadership of IATA led by its Regional Vice President for Africa & Middle East, Mr. Kamil H. Al-Awadhi at the Authority’s Headquarters in Abuja,” the statement read.
IATA offers support for Nigeria’s airport concessions
In addition to plans to collaborate with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on aviation workforce training, IATA’s delegation, led by Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil H. Al-Awadhi, offered its expertise to support Nigeria’s airport concession efforts through public-private partnerships (PPP).
The proposal was presented during a recent meeting with Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo at his office in Abuja, with the announcement shared via his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday.
Keyamo’s post also noted that during the meeting, IATA commended Nigeria for resolving the backlog of trapped airline funds through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), providing critical financial relief to international carriers.
“Yesterday, a delegation from the International Air Transport Association, IATA @IATA led by Kamil Awadhi, paid me a working visit. They expressed gratitude for Nigeria’s effort in clearing the backlog of trapped funds of international airlines with the CBN.
“The delegation also expressed their wish to offer their services to the Ministry in respect of the planned concession of some airports in Nigeria through public-private partnerships (PPP) because of their vast experience in this area, an offer I gladly welcomed, stating that it was a badge of honour for Nigeria,” the post read.
The proposed collaboration with IATA on airport concessions aligns with Nigeria’s broader efforts to enhance aviation infrastructure and attract global partnerships to improve airport operations through public-private initiatives.