Nigeria Loses ₦120bn to Illegal Charter Flights as Aviation Regulator Faces Scrutiny
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Nigeria has lost over ₦120bn in revenue over the past decade due to illegal private charter operations, regulatory gaps, and poor enforcement by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), a ministerial task force has revealed.
The report, commissioned by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, exposes widespread security breaches, lack of interagency coordination, and outdated policies that have stifled sector growth. Among the organisations named in the report are Arik Air Ltd, BUA International Limited, Dominion Air Limited, Executive Jets Services, Max Air Ltd, the Rivers State Government, Julius Berger Nigeria Ltd, and Nestoil Plc.
Cracking down on illegal operations
The task force has recommended urgent measures to address illegal charter operations, including a restructuring of the General Aviation Terminal in Abuja to fix critical security lapses. It also called for repealing the controversial 22-year aircraft age limit, which has been criticised for restricting industry growth.
To improve oversight, the NCAA is expected to tighten regulations, while a new licensing framework for air charter brokers is set 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 states.
Aviation experts question enforcement
Despite the proposals, industry experts have cast doubt on whether these measures will be effectively enforced. Aviation security specialist and CEO of Centurion Security Limited, John Ojikutu, dismissed the task force’s efforts as “a waste of time,” accusing the NCAA of failing to enforce existing regulations.
“Most of these charter aircraft are owned by political office holders or those connected to them. It’s an indictment of the NCAA. If they were serious about regulation, illegal operations wouldn’t be this rampant,” he said.
Ojikutu highlighted how foreign-registered aircraft continue to exploit loopholes in Nigerian aviation laws. “These aircraft used to have a three-month operational limit, but now they’re everywhere. Who is regulating them? Why are they still flying unchecked?”
He argued that many illegal flights were being shielded by influential figures, making enforcement difficult. “These foreign-registered aircraft are behind most of these illegal flights, but they won’t clamp down on them because they belong to politicians or their associates.”
Calls for greater oversight
Aviation analyst and member of the Aviation Round Table, Olumide Ohunayo, acknowledged the regulatory failures but urged authorities to adopt a more collaborative approach.
“The key takeaway is that we’ve now admitted there are major gaps in enforcement,” he said. “But fixing it requires more than just one agency—it has to be a joint effort between the NCAA, NAMA, airport authorities, and customs.”
Ohunayo proposed moving aviation processes online to improve transparency. “If every flight operation was digitalised, we could easily track aircraft movements. Even if you miss them immediately, discrepancies would show up within a month.”
A source familiar with the sector, speaking anonymously, detailed how private aircraft owners disguise commercial operations to evade detection. “Payments for illegal charter flights are often made in cash or through proxies, making it hard to trace transactions,” they said.
Without clear legal definitions, prosecution remains a challenge. “A smart lawyer can argue that what the authorities claim as commercial work was actually private use. And without solid evidence, the case falls apart,” the source added.
Government under pressure to act
The task force was set up in June 2024 after growing complaints from licensed charter operators about money laundering, drug smuggling, and security risks linked to illegal flights. Intelligence reports also raised alarms over potential threats posed by unchecked private aviation activity.
With a three-month deadline to present its findings, the task force’s report has now intensified calls for urgent reforms. However, whether the government will take decisive action—or whether powerful interests will continue to evade regulation—remains to be seen.
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