The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau have raised fresh concerns over poor coordination and safety lapses on airport aprons across the country, warning that weaknesses on the ground pose serious risks to lives, aircraft, and the credibility of Nigeria’s aviation system.
The warning came as United Nigeria Airlines grounded one of its aircraft following a bird strike incident, a development that disrupted some scheduled flights across its network and underscored the importance of strict safety standards in aviation operations.
Speaking at the Aircraft Marshaller Consultative Forum and Joint Apron Stakeholders Operations Workshop in Lagos on Wednesday, the Director-General of the NCAA, Chris Najomo, said incidents on airport aprons cost the global aviation industry billions of dollars every year and leave hundreds of thousands of people injured.
“Nigeria must not ignore the lessons written in damaged aircraft and preventable injuries,” Najomo warned.
Airport aprons, narrow stretches of tarmac where aircraft, people, and heavy equipment operate in close proximity, have increasingly become pressure points for safety concerns. From congestion during passenger boarding to weak coordination among ground teams, regulators said the warning signs have been clear and persistent.
Najomo, who was represented by the Director of Aerodrome and Airspace Standards, Ahmad Abba, described the apron as the nerve centre of airport operations, a high-risk environment where pilots, marshallers, engineers, fuelers, ground handlers, and air traffic controllers must work in seamless coordination.
He said, “Any breakdown in discipline or communication here is not a minor operational flaw. It is a serious threat that can undermine efficiency, safety, and public confidence in air travel.”
Abba disclosed that recent NCAA inspections have continued to reveal troubling practices at Nigerian airports, including passengers boarding while aircraft are being refuelled, overcrowded aprons ahead of departures, aircraft parked outside designated bays, shortages of trained marshallers, and weak supervision between apron teams and airfield operations.
“These practices leave airports vulnerable to avoidable accidents and costly disruptions,” he said, adding that apron operations would remain a key focus of the regulator’s enforcement efforts.
He urged industry stakeholders to move beyond rhetoric and ensure practical solutions that would reshape daily operations and inform regulatory actions, while pledging sustained collaboration with agencies such as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, and ground handling companies.
He emphasised that “safety is non-negotiable. It must remain the bedrock of Nigeria’s aviation industry.”
Investigators at the forum agreed that many aviation accidents are triggered long before an aircraft leaves the ground. The Director-General of the NSIB, Alex Badeh Junior, warned that unsafe ground handling, poor coordination, and weak safety culture remain among the leading causes of aircraft damage and injuries worldwide.
Badeh, who spoke through his representative, Henry Nwanyanwu, said investigation records in Nigeria and abroad consistently link serious incidents to collisions with ground equipment, jet blast, foreign object debris, fuel spills, and incorrect marshalling signals.
“Behind these incidents are often human and organisational failures, fatigue, complacency, time pressure, and poor supervision. These factors can turn a small mistake into a major accident,” he said.
He described aircraft marshallers as a critical but often overlooked safety link between the cockpit and the ground, warning that a single wrong signal could have devastating consequences. According to him, proper training, medical fitness, adequate equipment, and the authority to stop unsafe operations are essential for safety recommendations to have a real impact.
Also speaking, the Director General of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike, described the apron as the operational hub of the airport and one of its most risk-prone zones, where fuelling, baggage handling, catering, and passenger boarding often take place simultaneously.
Represented by Shehu Bashir, Anosike warned that even minor lapses could result in injuries, aircraft damage, flight delays, or loss of life. “Apron safety is fundamental to protecting people and preserving aviation’s reputation as the safest mode of transport,” he said.
Meanwhile, United Nigeria Airlines confirmed that it had grounded one of its aircraft following a bird strike incident. In a statement on Wednesday, the airline’s spokesperson, Chibuike Uloka, said the affected aircraft had been withdrawn from service in line with strict safety protocols and would undergo a comprehensive inspection before being cleared to return to operation.
“United Nigeria Airlines wishes to inform our valued passengers that, due to a bird strike on one of our operating aircraft on 13th January, 2026, some flights across our network will not operate as scheduled,” the statement read in part.
The incident reportedly occurred around 10:00 pm and was detected at 12:00 am during a routine inspection. The airline expressed regret over the inconvenience caused and appealed for passengers’ understanding, stressing that safety remains its top priority.
