Nigeria has lost its Category One status with the United States due to its airlines not operating direct flights to the country for a period of two years.

According to the new regulations set by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (USFAA), any country whose airlines do not maintain direct operations to the US for two years, or vice versa, will forfeit this status.

As a result of this change, Nigerian airlines, including those intending to initiate direct flights from Lagos, are now prohibited from operating to any US city or airport until a re-audit and re-certification by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is completed, allowing Nigeria to regain its previous status. Nigeria originally achieved the USFAA Category One status in August 2010 after a comprehensive five-year evaluation.

However, a decline in operational standards and the inability of certain Nigerian airlines to maintain direct flights to the US for seven years have led some industry stakeholders to assert that the country has lost this important rating.

According to Olumide Ohunayo, an industry analyst and director of research at Zenith Travels, the prospects for Nigerian airlines to initiate direct flights to the United States appear limited.

While the outlook is not as favorable as it was three years ago, it is not entirely negative, as there has been no formal downgrade. A downgrade would only occur following an audit, which is essential at this stage. Ohunayo emphasized the need to request a re-audit from the FAA.

He pointed out that previously, there was no justification for an FAA audit since local carriers were either not operating or had no plans to operate flights to the US. He remarked that seeking an audit under those circumstances would have been an inefficient use of resources.

However, with Nigerian airlines now expressing interest in US routes, it is crucial for the country’s aviation authorities to engage in a re-audit with the FAA. “We should be ready for the audit, which will take place once an airline is prepared to commence flights to the US.

It is vital to work diligently to maintain our Category One status once achieved, to avoid any downgrades. This presents an opportunity to proactively identify and address key issues before the audit occurs.

Airlines aiming to enter this market must also prepare thoroughly, as failure to do so could result in losing both their certification and their operational slots,” Ohunayo stated.

The updated list from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) includes 83 countries classified under Category One or Two.

Among the African nations listed in Category One are Egypt, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Morocco, and South Africa. Countries in this category are recognized for meeting the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Additional nations with Category One status include Argentina, Aruba, Azerbaijan, the Bahamas, Belgium, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Ireland, Kuwait, Japan, Jordan, Panama, Portugal, the Philippines, Romania, Samoa, San Marino, Poland, Suriname, Taiwan, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the United Kingdom (UK), Uzbekistan, and Vietnam, among others.

The five countries classified under Category Two are Venezuela, Thailand, Russia, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, and Bangladesh.

Arik Air, the sole Nigerian airline operating on the Lagos-New York route, suspended its US operations on February 3, 2017, shortly before being taken over by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

Experts suggest that local airlines may face challenges in launching flights to these two cities until the re-audit and recertification process is completed successfully.

Nevertheless, two US carriers, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, continue to provide direct flights to Nigeria from their respective hubs.

As an industry expert and the CEO of Centurion Aviation Security and Safety Consult, I would like to inform you that Nigeria’s status loss is anticipated in light of the recent International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) report.

“I warned the regulatory authority last year that the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the US FAA/ Transportation Security Administration (TSA) are watching the happenings in our airports and airspace. The ICAO grading is far lower than the FAA/TSA grading, so when ICAO scored us a fail in its audit report, what do you expect from the FAA/TSA?

“I remember saying that the prospect of any airline planning flights to the US would be doomed if we fell down from Category One. This is not the first time we have fallen down. Nigeria Airways fell down too in 1992 and the US directed that Nigeria Airways must route through Dakar for the rescreening of all onboard passengers, baggage and cargo, otherwise no entry to the US,” Ojikutu said.

NCAA provides clarification on US ruling

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has provided an explanation for Nigeria’s removal from the USFAA CAT 1 International Aviation Safety Assessment programme (IASA).

In a statement released by Chris Najomo, Acting Director-General of Civil Aviation, it was noted that Nigeria first achieved Category One status in August 2010. Subsequently, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducted another safety assessment in 2014.

A further safety assessment was carried out in 2017, resulting in Nigeria retaining its Category One status.

“However, with effect from September, 2022, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) de-listed Category One countries who, after a 2-year period, had no indigenous operator providing service to the U.S. or carrying the airline code of a U.S operator. Also removed from the Category One list were countries who the FAA was not providing technical assistance to based on identified areas of non-compliance to international standards for safety oversight.

“No Nigerian operator has provided services into the United States using a Nigerian registered aircraft within the 2-year period preceding September, 2022 so it was expected that Nigeria would be de-listed as were other countries who fell within this category. Nigeria was, therefore, de-listed since 2022 and was duly informed of this action in 2022,” he said.

He emphasized that Nigeria's removal from the list is entirely unrelated to any shortcomings in the NCAA's oversight regarding safety or security.

He pointed out that Nigeria has successfully completed thorough ICAO Safety and Security Audits, with no Significant Safety Concern (SSC) or Significant Security Concern (SSeC) identified.