The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has reinstated the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) of Omni-Blu Aviation Ltd., allowing the airline to resume operations within Nigeria.
The decision follows an appeal by the company and reverses the earlier revocation of its certificate on January 30, 2025, over alleged regulatory violations.
Omni-Blu Aviation’s Chief Executive Officer, Akin Olateru, disclosed the reinstatement in a statement on Monday in Lagos, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria.
He explained that the NCAA’s review panel exonerated the company of any wrongdoing, leading to the restoration of its AOC, numbered OBA/AOC/1 2-15/002.
“Omni-Blu Aviation Ltd., says the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has cleared it of any wrongdoing and reinstated its Air Operators Certificate (AOC) No. OBA/AOC/1 2-15/002.
“The Chief Executive Officer, Omni-Blu Aviation, Mr Akin Olateru, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Lagos.
“According to Olateru, the reinstatement of the company’s AOC followed an appeal against the NCAA’s decision to revoke it on Jan. 30,” the NAN report read in part.
More insight
NCAA initially revoked the certificate on January 30, 2025, citing an alleged violation of Part 1.2.1.5 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) due to a falsified readout report for avionics equipment on a Sikorsky S76C+ helicopter (MSN 760486, Reg. Mark 5N-BQG).
- However, after a detailed review, the NCAA concluded that the falsification was solely carried out by the aircraft’s owner, Eastwind Aviation Ltd., and that Omni-Blu Aviation had no involvement.
- According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), a letter dated February 28, 2025, referenced NCAA/DGCA/DLS/CS/2025/013, confirmed that Omni-Blu Aviation neither participated in nor had prior knowledge of the falsification, leading to the reinstatement of its AOC.
Olateru welcomed the NCAA’s appeal process and expressed gratitude to the company’s clients, stakeholders, and industry partners for their support. He reaffirmed Omni-Blu Aviation’s commitment to maintaining its decade-long record of regulatory compliance and safety.
Despite the reinstatement, as of the time of this report, the NCAA has yet to issue an official statement on the matter through its communication channels.
What you should know
The revocation and subsequent reinstatement of Omni-Blu Aviation’s AOC stem from a series of regulatory hurdles:
- In October 2023, the NCAA suspended the company’s certification process, barring it from operating as a scheduled airline. The suspension was tied to concerns over its primary financier, Engr. Akin Olateru, who was also serving as the Director-General of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) at the time.
- After addressing the concerns and successfully obtaining its AOC, Omni-Blu Aviation encountered another setback in January 2025 when the NCAA revoked its certificate. This decision has now been reversed following an appeal review.
- According to its website, Omni-Blu Aviation provides helicopter charter services for offshore oil and gas operations, as well as business jet and helicopter charter services.
