The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended the Permits for Non-Commercial Flights (PNCF) licences of three private jets for engaging in commercial operations.
Acting Director-General of the NCAA, Captain Chris Najomo, announced the suspension in a visual press release posted on the official NCAA X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday.
According to him, the affected PNCF holders violated the annexure provision of their PNCF licenses and Part 9114 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations.
The X post reads: “Back in November 2023, the use of private jets for commercial purpose had gotten the attention of the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, who issued marching orders for cessation of such acts.
“Subsequently, in March 2024, the NCAA had issued a stern warning to holders of the permit for non-commercial flights (PNCF) against engaging the carriage of passengers, cargo or mail for reward and hire.
“The Authority had also deployed its officials to monitor activities of private jet terminals across the airports in Nigeria.
“As a result of this heightened surveillance, no fewer than three private operators have been found to be in violation of their PNCF and Part 9114 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations.
“In line with our zero tolerance for violations of regulations, the Authority has suspended the PNCF of these operators”, Najomo added.
In addition, he directed that all holders of PNCF licences in the country to re-evaluate their licences on or before April 19, 2024, to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
It would be recalled that the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development had last November noted that some private jet owners in the country were violating their licences by engaging in commercial operations.
Following the disclosure, the NCAA last month issued a stern warning to private jet owners against the unauthorized use of their aircraft for commercial purposes, threatening that violators will face severe penalties, including the suspension, withdrawal, or revocation of their permits.
