The minister made this known on Thursday during the commissioning of the Juhi-2 aviation fuel depot at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
Nigeria has officially been removed from the global watchlist as its aviation rating rose to 75.5%, according to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo.
The minister made this known on Thursday during the commissioning of the Juhi-2 aviation fuel depot at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
Keyamo explained that the improvement follows the recent signing of the Cape Town Convention Practice Direction by the Federal Government, which had initially raised Nigeria’s aviation rating from 49% to 70.5%.
“This new status means that Nigeria is no longer on the watchlist, and airlines operating in the country can now access dry lease aircraft without any restrictions,” Keyamo said.
The minister also hinted at a surge in the number of aircraft entering Nigeria’s airspace, which may require Juhi-2 to expand its fuel depot capacity to accommodate the increased demand.
Patience Dappa, Chairman of Juhi 2 Limited, stated during the ceremony that the launch of the Juhi-2 depot is more than the completion of an infrastructure project.
According to him, it reflects the company’s commitment to excellence and innovation in aviation fuel management.
“As the largest airside jet fuel depot in Nigeria, this facility covers 46,000 square meters and holds a significant storage capacity of 15 million litres of Jet A1 fuel,” she noted.
Dappa emphasized that Juhi-2 is not just about its size but represents operational excellence, safety, and reliability. It features advanced filtration systems, a jet fuel discharge system that can load four bowsers at once, a modern laboratory, and top-tier fire prevention systems.
“This strategic asset is designed to ensure a consistent and reliable supply of jet fuel to Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), MMA1, MMA2, and nearby airbases,” she said.
In a related development, in September, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) shed light on the reasons behind Nigeria’s reclassification to Category 2 status, which led to the suspension of Nigerian airlines’ operations to the United States.
Captain Chris Najomo, Acting Director General of Civil Aviation, in a statement, clarified that Nigeria’s airlines can only operate flights to the US upon successfully passing the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Programme and achieving Category 1 status, a prerequisite also applicable to other countries.
Najomo said, “The attention of the NCAA has again been drawn to a publication about the purported ban on Nigerian airlines by the United States. Due to the wrong impression such news could create, it has become expedient that we put this report in its proper perspective.
“Upon attaining Category 1, Nigerian airlines would be permitted to operate Nigerian registered aircraft and dry-leased foreign registered aircraft into the United States, in line with the existing Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA).”
Najomo provided historical context by revealing that Nigeria initially achieved the coveted Category 1 status in August 2010.
Subsequently, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducted a follow-up safety evaluation in 2014 to assess Nigeria’s continued adherence to international aviation safety standards.
Furthermore, Najomo noted that an additional safety assessment was undertaken in 2017, resulting in Nigeria’s successful retention of its Category 1 status.
However, he clarified that the US FAA introduced a significant policy change in September 2022, whereby countries previously classified as Category 1 would be de-listed if, after a two-year period, they lacked an indigenous airline operating direct services to the US or partnering with a US-based carrier.
He said, “Also removed from the Category 1 list were countries where the FAA was not providing technical assistance, based on identified areas of non-compliance to international standards for safety oversight.
“No Nigerian operator has provided service into the United States using a Nigerian registered aircraft within the two years preceding September 2022.”