President Bola Tinubu has hailed Nigeria’s 91.45 per cent aviation safety rating by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, describing it as impressive.

The ICAO, a United Nations agency that coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, assesses countries through the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme to ensure they manage safety risks effectively. 

As an ICAO member, Nigeria is obligated to comply with applicable international standards and to establish and implement these safety-critical oversight elements.

In a statement on Thursday, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said that since the inception of the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme in 1999, Nigeria had undergone four USOAP safety audits conducted by ICAO auditors, with results measured through “effective implementation” scores.

He noted that Nigeria recently achieved a 91.45% effective implementation rating from an ICAO lead auditor. 

“During a recent debriefing by the ICAO audit team at the Abuja headquarters of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the lead auditor announced that Nigeria had recorded an impressive 91.45% Effective Implementation score – the highest ever for Nigeria,” Mr Onanuga said, adding that the regional average for West Africa is 61.1%, while the global average is 70.4%. 

“Nigeria is thus well-positioned above the regional and global ratings, which, in turn, significantly boost investor confidence and strengthen international aviation credibility,” he stated.

He noted that the president urged the aviation ministry not to relent, but to review and implement every recommendation made by the ICAO auditors.

Mr Onanuga further noted that upon his assumption of office, Mr Tinubu redefined the priority areas of his administration to include enhancing infrastructure and transportation as enablers of growth.

He also mentioned that the move was aimed at establishing the air transport sector as a major driver for economic prosperity by building a safe, secure, and efficient aviation industry focused on making Nigeria a hub that meets international standards and best practices beyond the African continent.

“To align with this priority area, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, outlined a five-point agenda to grow the Nigerian aviation value chain,” he said.

He pointed out that the first point on the agenda was to ensure strict compliance with safety regulations and the continuous upward movement of Nigeria’s ICAO rating.