The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has sought the support of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in tackling fraud, corruption, and other financial crimes undermining the country’s aviation sector.

 

Director-General of the NCAA, Captain Chris Najomo, made the appeal on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, during a courtesy visit to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, where he led a delegation of top management staff to meet with the Commission’s Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede.

 

Najomo warned that fraudulent activities within the aviation industry posed significant risks to safety oversight, regulatory transparency, and investor confidence. He highlighted high-value transactions such as aircraft acquisitions, leasing arrangements, foreign maintenance contracts, and procurement of safety infrastructure as particularly vulnerable to financial crimes, including money laundering.

 

The NCAA boss expressed concern over the non-remittance of the mandatory five percent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) and Cargo Sales Charge (CSC) by some airlines. He explained that such revenue leakages weakened the NCAA’s capacity to fund critical safety oversight operations.

 

“Non-remittance weakens NCAA’s ability to fund safety oversight and operational efficiency. Some operators deliberately under-report revenues, manipulate ticketing systems, or divert funds, thereby sabotaging the NCAA’s ability to regulate effectively. In such cases, EFCC’s intervention is necessary,” Najomo said.

 

He further identified illegal charter operations, often disguised as private flights, as another challenge, noting that such practices are typically associated with unregulated financial flows. He called for EFCC’s financial intelligence expertise to unmask such operators.

 

Najomo also requested EFCC’s collaboration in training NCAA staff to detect financial red flags, organising sensitisation workshops, and sharing intelligence to strengthen oversight.

 

Responding, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede welcomed the NCAA delegation and pledged the Commission’s readiness to support efforts to sanitise the aviation sector.

 

“With the kind of work you do, when people see us beside you, they will take you seriously. Aviation is an area where we have seen money laundering, particularly through chartered services. That is why we have been reaching out to you, and we will continue to do so until we achieve the desired results,” Olukoyede said.

 

He urged the NCAA to intensify surveillance in the private wings of airports, which he described as hotspots for illicit financial flows. He further assured that the EFCC would collaborate with NCAA to address non-remittance of charges by airlines, fraudulent ticketing, and other financial abuses, especially those involving foreign carriers.

 

Olukoyede also revealed that the Commission would designate senior officers to work with NCAA on a proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalise joint investigations, compliance monitoring, and intelligence exchange.

 

Both agencies reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s aviation industry against fraud and economic sabotage. While Najomo stressed that #NCAA could not fully achieve its mandate without #EFCC’s backing, Olukoyede assured that the Commission would deploy its resources to protect the sector, which he described as critical to national development and international reputation.