Ten private aircraft operators’ permits have been suspended by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for engaging in illegal activities.
These operators, whose Permits for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) have been suspended, failed to complete the recertification process mandated by the regulatory authority. Investigations revealed that many operators were misusing their PNCF by conducting commercial flights, commonly known in aviation as hire and reward.
In response to this widespread non-compliance, the NCAA had earlier instructed all PNCF holders to undergo a re-evaluation, which was to be completed by April 19, 2024.
The following operators have had their permits suspended:
- Azikel Dredging Nigeria Ltd
- Bli-Aviation Safety Services
- Ferry Aviation Developments Ltd
- Matrix Energy Ltd
- Marrietta Management Services Ltd
- Worldwide Skypaths Services
- Mattini Airline Services Ltd
- Aero Lead Ltd
- Sky Bird Air Ltd
- Ezuma Jets Ltd
In a statement, Michael Achimugu, the NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, emphasized that engaging PNCF holders for commercial purposes is illegal.
He said;
“The NCAA will not hesitate to initiate enforcement actions against any PNCF holder found guilty of illegal operations. Furthermore, NCAA officials have been deployed to General Aviation Terminals (GAT) and private wings of the airports to monitor activities of the PNCF holders.”
