1 year after, Najomo nominated as substantive NCAA DG

One year after serving in acting capacity, the coast is almost clear for Capt. Chris Najomo to take over as the substantive Director-General, Civil Aviation (DGCA) of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). Najomo’s name has finally been sent to the Senate for confirmation as the substantive DG, ending speculations over his future in the […]

One year after serving in acting capacity, the coast is almost clear for Capt. Chris Najomo to take over as the substantive Director-General, Civil Aviation (DGCA) of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

Najomo’s name has finally been sent to the Senate for confirmation as the substantive DG, ending speculations over his future in the country’s apex aviation regulatory agency.

Daily Trust reports that Najomo has been acting since the suspension of Capt. Musa Nuhu in December 2023 when President Bola Tinubu also sacked CEOs of all aviation agencies.

He had spent more than a year in acting capacity even as the suspended DG had refused to resign despite pressure on him.

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He had maintained his innocence, saying nothing incriminating had been found against him.

But Nuhu recently proceeded on his terminal leave, paving the way for Najomo to take over as the substantive Director-General.

It would be recalled that some operators under the aegis of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) recently called for the confirmation of Najomo.

However, the call divided stakeholders who queried the rationale behind the call, which they described as conflict of interest.

But the uncertainty over his appointment would soon be a thing of the past following the submission of his name to the National Assembly for screening and confirmation.

It was learnt that his name was forwarded last week while he might be screened any moment from now by a panel of the Senate, which will subsequently recommend his confirmation or otherwise.

“We are looking forward to the confirmation and we are hoping this would end all speculations around him. Capt. Najomo has steered the ship of the agency in the last one year with hard-work, transparency and passion to take Nigeria’s aviation to an enviable height. We hope his confirmation would spur him further to take the aviation sector to the next level,” a source in the NCAA said.

If confirmed, he would begin a fresh five-year tenure as the substantive DG of the NCAA.