The Director General, Civil Aviation Authority (DGCA), Captain Chris Najomo, has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to strengthen its collaboration with the aviation regulator in tackling financial crimes and corrupt practices threatening the sector.
Captain Najomo made the call on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the EFCC’s corporate headquarters in Abuja, where he led a delegation of senior management staff to meet with the Commission’s Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede.
He warned that fraudulent activities within the aviation sector posed serious risks to safety oversight, operational transparency, and investor confidence.
According to him, high-value transactions such as aircraft acquisitions, leasing arrangements, foreign maintenance contracts, and safety infrastructure procurements remain particularly vulnerable to fraud and money laundering.
The NCAA boss also raised concerns over the non-remittance of the mandatory five percent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) and Cargo Sales Charge (CSC) by some airlines, a situation he said had undermined the Authority’s revenue base and weakened its ability to carry out effective safety oversight.
He noted that in some cases, operators deliberately under-report revenues, manipulate ticketing systems, or divert funds, stressing that EFCC’s intervention was critical in unraveling such practices.
The DGCA further highlighted the challenge of illegal charter operations disguised as private flights, which he said often involved unregulated financial flows.
He added that EFCC’s financial intelligence capabilities were vital in exposing such fraudulent activities, while also calling for joint training, sensitization workshops, and intelligence sharing to strengthen NCAA’s internal systems.
Commending the EFCC for its role in safeguarding Nigeria’s financial system, Captain Najomo said the NCAA could not fully achieve its mandate without the Commission’s support.
In his response, Mr. Olukoyede pledged the EFCC’s full involvement in sanitizing the aviation industry.
He described aviation as a sector prone to illicit financial activities, especially through chartered services, and assured that the Commission would continue to work with the NCAA to achieve lasting reforms.
The EFCC chairman urged the Authority to intensify surveillance on private airport wings, which he described as hotspots for money laundering, and confirmed that senior officers would be designated to work with the NCAA on a memorandum of understanding covering joint investigations, intelligence sharing, and compliance monitoring.
Mr. Olukoyede emphasized that closer collaboration between both agencies would help curb non-remittance of charges, illicit financial flows, and fraudulent ticketing systems, especially among foreign carriers.
He assured that the EFCC remained committed to protecting the aviation sector from fraud and economic sabotage.
Reporting By Nosa Aituamen