Director-General Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Captain Chris Najomo, on Wednesday inaugurated the National Operational Safety Committee in Abuja to reinforce Nigeria’s aviation safety management processes. The committee is a first-of-its-kind structure under the State Safety Programme and is expected to support wider efforts to strengthen operational efficiency across the sector. Najomo, represented by Director of Airworthiness Standards, Engr. Victor Goyea, urged members to treat the assignment as a national duty and approach it with the seriousness it demands because, as he stressed, the task “is very critical to the safety of the flying public.”
He explained that the NCAA, as the placeholder of the State Safety Programme together with the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, has developed a tiered approach to achieving the country’s safety management responsibilities. He said the establishment of the Safety Committee aligns with the Federal Government’s aviation policy, which emphasises strict compliance with safety regulations and improved safety ratings under ICAO standards. According to him, this step is further in line with the five-point agenda of the administration.
Najomo said the NOSC is the second tier at the operational level and serves as an advisory body to the National Executive Safety Committee. Its major objective, he said, is to bring together stakeholders in the aviation industry and the State Safety Programme Implementation Team to interface, discuss, and monitor the resolution of safety deficiencies identified during routine operations. He added that the Authority believes results are achieved when entities work collaboratively rather than in silos, which informed the need to inaugurate this important Safety Committee.
He outlined several responsibilities expected of the committee. These include assisting in the establishment and continuous review of the operational safety risk profile and developing corrective action plans to mitigate associated risks. He said the committee must also support the management of change processes, identify new hazards, and monitor emerging safety risks within the State. In addition, it will help assess and track safety performance indicators across the system.
Other responsibilities include supporting safety promotion activities and contributing to the amendment of the State Safety Programme and the National Aviation Safety Plan. The Safety Committee will also carry out tasks assigned by the National Executive Safety Committee that relate to improving the operational safety risk profile of civil aviation activities in Nigeria.
In a welcome address, Director of Special Duties, Dr Horatius Egua, outlined the structure and strategy of the committee. He explained that it will operate through quarterly meetings and working groups aligned with the State Safety Programme to proactively tackle emerging risks. He said, “I am glad that today, the NOSC has crystalised into a committee that will support the National Executive Safety Committee in its advisory roles. With the NOSC coming onboard, I am sure that our desire to fully implement the SSP is in sight.”
Egua urged members to regard their selection as a national assignment and work diligently to ensure that Nigeria joins the league of nations that have fully implemented the State Safety Programme. Members of the Safety Committee include Dr Egua as chairman; DSD NSIB, Engr. Frank Odita, as alternate chairman; general managers of the Flight Standards Group; safety managers of operators; members of the SSP Implementation Team; and the national coordinator for the SSP, who will serve as head of secretariat.
The committee is expected to meet quarterly and operate through designated working groups led by appointed chairs and vice chairs. Meetings will be held physically and virtually to ensure effective collaboration across aviation stakeholders. The event drew representatives from major aviation agencies and industry stakeholders who expressed support for the new structure.
