Nigerian Regulators Unite to Tackle Aviation Fraud

Nigeria’s aviation regulator has enlisted the country’s anti-corruption agency to combat financial crimes threatening the civil aviation sector. Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Director General Chris Najomo led a management team to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) headquarters in Abuja on September 2, urging deeper cooperation to address fraud, money laundering and corruption.

Najomo warned that practices such as under-reporting revenues, non-remittance of mandatory ticket and cargo charges, and manipulation of ticketing systems undermine the NCAA’s financial stability and safety oversight. “Non-remittance weakens the NCAA’s ability to fund safety oversight and operational efficiency and may require the EFCC’s intervention to investigate cases where deliberate withholding, diversion or misappropriation of these funds is suspected,” he said.

He also highlighted vulnerabilities in high-value transactions—including aircraft purchases, leasing deals, foreign maintenance contracts and safety infrastructure procurement—as well as illegal charter flights disguised as private operations. Najomo said the EFCC’s financial intelligence is essential to dismantling these schemes. Aviation and Aerospace Minister Festus Keyamo has already vowed to crack down on such practices, with the NCAA grounding ten private jet operators earlier this year for unsanctioned commercial flights.

EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede welcomed the collaboration and pledged to assign senior officers to work with the NCAA while finalizing a memorandum of understanding on joint investigations and compliance monitoring. Calling airport private wings “a hotbed for illicit financial activities,” Olukoyede said the EFCC would intensify efforts to curb non-remittance cases, illicit flows and fraudulent ticketing systems.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com