IATA, Nigeria Partner on Air Safety in Africa

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Nigeria plan new measures to enhance air safety in Africa.

This is in line with decisions reached by African transport ministers in 2012 to improve safety in the continent’s skies.

Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Director-General Captain Muhtar Usman and IATA’s Regional Director, Safety and Flight Operations, Africa and Middle East, Tanja Grobotek, made the promise after a meeting in Abuja last weekend.

Usman described the endorsement of the African Union’s Abuja Declaration as one of the most significant steps taken to boost safety and development of avaiation on the  continent.

He said the industry would achieve much if all players contributed to sustain initiatives geared towards improving air safety.

“Nigeria is committed to supporting its implementation across the sub-Saharan Africa through developing new strategies that will see the recent gains on Africa’s safety record sustained and even improved,” he added.

Since the Abuja Declaration’s adoption in 2012, Africa’s safety performance, he said, had improved significantly.

Besides these important and valuable gains, Africa still accounts for the highest accident rate.

“African safety is moving in the right direction, thanks to the work done by a number of African nations, including Nigeria, who have worked hard to raise awareness of the importance of implementing the Abuja Declaration,” Grobotek said.

“In 2015, we saw safety on the continent improve compared to the five-year accident rate for both jet and turboprop hull losses. Nevertheless, the challenges of bringing Africa in line with global performance remain,” she explained.

He continued: ” IATA remains focused on its commitment to actively contribute its expertise and resources to help African nations implement the standards outlined in the Abuja Declaration.

‘’One such area is the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), a proven tool for raising safety. IATA has worked with a number of airlines in Africa to bring them onto the IOSA registry. Eleven have joined since the Abuja Declaration was signed, which means 31 airlines from sub-Saharan Africa now benefit from this rigorous safety audit.”

Another issue that was discussed at the meeting was the need for African Governments to accelerate the implementation of ICAO’s safety-related standards and recommended practices (SARPS), according to the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program (USOAP).

The NCAA reaffirmed its commitment to improve on the effective implementation of the SARPS by the end of the year. As at the end of January, only 21 African states had accomplished at least 60 per cent  of implementation of the SARPS.

Source - IATA