According to the Minister of Aviation, Mr Osita Chidoka, who gave the directive on Tuesday, the Nigerian registered private jets that engage in commercial operations will also be affected.
The minister at the launching of the Aviation Commits Initiative in Lagos, also directed all airlines operating in the country to henceforth engage Nigerian pilots, warning that failure to comply with this would lead to revocation of their Air Operator’s Certificates (AOC).
Chidoka, while promising to close some gaps in the system, hinted that at the moment, there were 90 foreign registered aircraft in the country, with additional 111 Nigerian registered carriers currently in use in the system.
He said that some of operator had diverted from their operational certificates.
He decried that their diversion from their operational certificates had led to loss of massive revenues to the Federal Government and urged them to regularise their papers before the Tomorrow deadline.
The minister stated that by February 5, if the affected airlines failed to regularise their papers as expected, the Federal Government, through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), would ground their operations and revoke their licenses.
Besides, as part of AOC acquisition by scheduled airlines, Chidoka said they would be required to train sizeable number of technical personnel, like pilots and engineers yearly, threatening that failure to comply with this policy would lead to non-revalidation of their AOCs by NCAA.
Besides, Chidoka emphasised that as from July 1, all Nigerian airlines would be mandated to have Nigerian pilots in their cockpits, stressing that for Nigeria to develop, Nigerians must be developed through training of technical staff as at when due.
On the Aviation Commits Initiative, Chidoka said the initiative was aimed at repackaging, rebranding and re-directing the aviation industry in Nigeria towards enhanced service delivery and cutomer satisfaction.
Chidoka described the initiative as a bold attempt by the aviation sector in the country to acknowledge the need for service improvement to its customers and publicly commit to carrying out such improvements as appropriate.
His words: “The aviation industry in Nigeria has great potentials which we need to unlock, but for this to happen, it requires the contribution of everyone. Business and institutions that wish to remain relevant are undergoing transformation and Nigeria cannot be left behind.
“Aviation industry in Nigeria in the last four years has witnessed huge investments with the remodeling of the airports in Kebbi, Bauch, Jigawa and Gombe states. These airports will make air travel easier and faster with air connectivity to state capitals. Nigeria can eventually become a hub in the continent with these softwares.”
Also, Vice President Namadi Sambo, in his address, said aviation globally remained pivotal to the economic development of the globe, stressing that President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration believed in the development of the sector.
