Benefits of certification as Lagos Airport scales hurdles

The certification of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) may reduce the premium paid by airline operators on the insurance of their aircraft.

There is also a high possibility of the certification of crashing air fares on international routes by foreign airlines as airlines would be most assured of the safety of their equipment.

This is the major gain of the certification which could also be an albatross for the operator in the airport in case there’s any slip as the airport has been certified in line with the guidelines and procedures stipulated by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) coming after months and years of postponement.

The Director General of NCAA, Capt. Muhtar Usman handed the certificate to the Managing Director of FAAN, Engineer Saleh Dunoma, at a ceremony yesterday.

Usman recalled that the first attempt to certify the airport and others in 2006 failed because of what he called absence of purposeful coordination that meets the standards stipulated by ICAO.

The implication of the certification is that the airport has met all safety requirements of an international airport and that the airport can receive all types of jumbo jets.

The NCAA helmsman confirmed that the Lagos airport has been very safe and secure for flight operations even as it is equipped with world class facilities to accommodate Boeing 747 jumbo 400.

He added that the airport has category 9 fire fighting for day and night operations.

“Our airports have been very safe because we take in domestic and international operations day and night. It has category 9 firefighting facility. The certificate issued on 18th September 2017 will expire three years from now”, he said.