The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has released its latest flight disruption statistics, sparking controversy among domestic airlines and industry experts. According to the NCAA, 4,765 out of 7,961 domestic flights operated in August 2026 were delayed, representing 59.9 percent of total operations. However, airlines have disputed the figures, citing inaccuracies in the data and its interpretation. The NCAA's report attributed 1,330 delayed flights to Air Peace, the country's largest carrier, which the airline has disputed.
Air Peace has challenged the NCAA's figures, stating that the regulator significantly understated its August flight volume and overstated its delay rate. The airline's Chief Operating Officer, Oluwatoyin Olajide, said Air Peace operated 2,564 flights in August, 700 more than reflected in the NCAA report. Olajide argued that the omission distorted the airline's performance metrics and gave an inaccurate picture of its operational performance. She also questioned why the NCAA commenced its monthly disruption series with August, rather than July.
Olajide further disputed the attribution of Air Peace's delays, stating that only 391 of the delays experienced by the airline in August were caused by internal factors. The majority of delays, she said, resulted from external factors such as airport congestion, weather, bird strikes, and airport infrastructure limitations. For example, an Air Peace aircraft suffered a bird strike in Abuja, requiring the replacement of its inlet cowl at a cost of $1.8 million. Industry experts have called for a clearer distinction between controllable and uncontrollable delays.
Aviation experts have reacted to the controversy, calling for an independent audit of aviation traffic and passenger data generated by the NCAA, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA). Group Captain John Ojikutu, a former Military Commandant of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, said discrepancies in passenger and traffic figures had significant implications for aviation revenues and industry statistics. He argued that an independent external auditor should reconcile the different datasets maintained by the agencies.
The controversy has also highlighted the need for a research and development unit within the aviation industry. Chris Aligbe, a former spokesperson of the defunct Nigeria Airways, urged the NCAA to establish such a unit to provide data-driven solutions to challenges confronting the sector. Aligbe lamented the absence of a research and development structure within the industry, which he said had contributed to poor policy decisions. He emphasized the need for a research department to review policy and revenue policy in the industry every five years.
The NCAA's release of flight disruption statistics has raised questions about the regulator's data-collection and validation processes. Experts have called for greater transparency and accuracy in the reporting of flight data. The controversy has also highlighted the need for improved communication between the NCAA and domestic airlines. The accuracy of flight data is crucial for the calculation and collection of aviation charges, including the Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) and Passenger Service Charge (PSC).
The Nigerian aviation industry is set to benefit from a more robust and transparent data management system. The establishment of a research and development unit within the industry is expected to provide data-driven solutions to challenges confronting the sector. The independent audit of aviation traffic and passenger data is also expected to help establish a common and verifiable database for flights and passenger movements.
Key points
- The NCAA faces criticism from airlines and experts over the accuracy and interpretation of its flight disruption statistics.
- Air Peace disputes the NCAA's figures, citing inaccuracies in the data and its interpretation.
- Experts call for an independent audit of aviation traffic and passenger data generated by the NCAA, FAAN, and NAMA.
