NCAA seeks EFCC partnership to tackle fraud in aviation sector
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has sought the support of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in addressing fraudulent practices and financial crimes threatening safety and transparency in the aviation sector.
NCAA Director-General, Capt. Chris Najomo, made the call on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to EFCC headquarters in Abuja, where he led a delegation of the Authority’s management team to the Commission’s Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede.
Najomo warned that irregularities in aircraft purchases, leasing arrangements, foreign maintenance contracts, and procurement of safety infrastructure expose the industry to fraud and money laundering.
He also lamented the non-remittance of the mandatory five percent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) and Cargo Sales Charge (CSC) by some airlines, saying the shortfall weakens NCAA’s safety oversight capacity.
“Some operators deliberately under-report revenues, manipulate ticketing systems, or divert funds. In such cases, EFCC’s intervention is necessary,” he said, adding that such acts undermine effective regulation and investor confidence.
He further identified illegal charter operations disguised as private flights as another avenue for financial crimes, noting that EFCC’s financial intelligence was crucial in unmasking these schemes. He also sought support in staff training, joint sensitization workshops, and intelligence sharing.
In response, Olukoyede described aviation as a channel vulnerable to money laundering, particularly through charter services. He pledged EFCC’s commitment to cleaning up the sector and urged NCAA to intensify surveillance of the private wing of airports, which he said had become a hotspot for illicit financial flows.
The EFCC boss further assured that the Commission would assign senior officers to work with NCAA on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) covering joint investigations, intelligence exchange, and compliance monitoring.
