How Nigeria can tap from 7.2 billion traffic by 2030- NCAA DG

 Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt Muhtar Usman said the country needs to urgently develop and implement short, medium and long term plans in order to partake in the projected huge global traffic.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) projected that global air traffic volume is expected to double by 2030.

The NCAA boss stated that this would help to achieve demand and capacity balancing within an acceptable level of safety performance.

Usman stated this at high level workshop on Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP) held in Lagos which was facilitated by the ICAO President, Dr. Olumuyiwa Bernard Aliu.

Aside Usman, Managing Directors of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Saleh Dunoma, Capt Fola Akinkuotu and Akin Olateru among top directors in the aviation industry including top ICAO officials who are required to participate in the two day events.

 He disclosed that the ICAO vision as encapsulated in the global ATM operational concept is aimed at achieving a global ATM system for all users during all phases of flight, that meets agreed level of safety; provides for optimum economic operations, meet national security requirements; and its environmentally sustainable.

He noted that the objective of the global air navigation plan is to provide a framework for the harmonisation of services and procedures, and enhancement of global interoperability of systems and data, in order to ensure a safe, secure, efficient, economic and seamless global ATM system that is environmentally sustainable.

He further stated that great expectations are placed on the outcome of the forum considering the high level participation of CEO’s and executive directors from all the major stakeholder agencies who are responsible for not only air navigation planning but more importantly its implementation.

ICAO Director of Air Navigation Bureau, Mr. Patrick Stephen Creamer said the global aviation regulatory body had been working with group of experts from Nigeria on GANP, adding that they needed to match the country’s navigational tools with ICAO’s standards.

“His words, “Nigeria is a leader in aviation, politics and economy. It is really a good time to be here. There is a remarkable improvement. There is the need to build capacity and capability in air transportation. I know the challenges you face in aviation. You have a good head start in aviation.”

Speaking in the same vein, the ICAO Deputy Director, West and Central Africa (WACAF),  Mr. Prosper Zo, O Minto’ O said because of Nigeria’s aviation strategic position in West and Central Africa, they needed to ensure air navigation are delivered properly, adding that the country is a pioneer in the use of satellite navigation for flight plan.