By
Princess Etuk


A report by the Ministerial Task Force on Illegal Private Charter Operations has revealed that the Federal Government has lost over N120bn in revenue in the past decade due to illegal charter operations, regulatory loopholes, and weak enforcement by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.

The report sighted by the PUNCH, commissioned by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, highlights security breaches, lack of interagency cooperation, and outdated policies stifling the sector’s growth.

According to the report, “Over the past decade, Nigeria lost an estimated N120bn in statutory revenue from the sector due to regulatory loopholes.”

Some of the major names listed in the report include Arik Air Ltd, BUA International Limited, Dominion Air Limited, Executive Jets Services, Max Air Ltd, Rivers State Government, Julius Berger Nig. Ltd, and Nestoil Plc.

In response, the task force outlined several measures to curb illegal operations and restore order in the sector. One key recommendation is the closure and restructuring of the General Aviation Terminal in Abuja to address critical security lapses.

Additionally, the controversial 22-year aircraft age ban, which has been criticized as arbitrary and restrictive to industry growth, is set to be repealed.

The task force has also emphasized the need to strengthen oversight by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority to ensure all operators comply fully with aviation regulations.

To enhance accountability, a licensing framework for air charter brokers will be introduced to bring more transparency to the sector.

“By implementing these measures, Nigeria can restore regulatory integrity, enhance safety, and position its aviation sector for long-term sustainability and global competitiveness”, the report read.

However, aviation experts have criticized the effectiveness of the task force, arguing that without strict enforcement, illegal activities will persist.

Aviation security expert and CEO of Centurion Security Limited, John Ojikutu, described the task force as “a waste of time”, pointing fingers at the NCAA for failing to enforce existing laws.

“Most of these charter aircraft are owned by political office holders or people who have something to do with it. It’s an indictment on the NCAA. When you’re talking about enforcement of regulation, it’s the NCAA,” he said.

He questioned the regulation of foreign-registered aircraft, stating, “Most of these charter flights are foreign-registered aircraft. Have you been able to identify them? Who brought them in? What is the regulation on foreign-registered aircraft operating in this country? In my days, they could not operate for more than three months. There were specific airports they had to go to. If you brought them in, they had to stay at the customs airport. That was the law in those days.”

Ojikutu emphasized that illegal flights are being protected by high-profile figures, making enforcement difficult.

“All these foreign-registered aircraft are the ones doing these illegal flights. And they cannot run after them because they are all political officers or political friends. So all these things they are doing now—I want to see how they want to collect ₦150bn, or even ₦100bn, or even ₦50bn from them,” he said.

He challenged the authorities to first identify the illegal aircraft before attempting to recover lost revenue.

“First of all, identify those aircraft that are doing these illegal flights. Who owns them? When they have flight plans to go anywhere, NAMA should not clear them. But these aircraft are still flying all over the place. I am told that there are over 100 of them in this country.”

He also raised concerns about financial oversight, stating that Nigerian-registered airlines must submit their financial records to the NCAA annually, but foreign operators exploit regulatory gaps.

“If an airline is not financially healthy, it is a safety problem,” he warned.






https://punchng.com/fg-loses-n120bn-to-illegal-private-jet-charters-report/