The Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Chris Najomo, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to bolster its efforts in combating financial crimes and corruption within the aviation industry.
Captain Najomo made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the EFCC Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, September 2, 2025.
During the visit, the NCAA DG emphasized the urgent need for EFCC’s collaboration in tackling fraudulent practices that threaten aviation safety, transparency, and investor confidence. He described the aviation sector as highly sensitive and vulnerable to financial crimes, especially in areas such as aircraft purchases, leasing arrangements, foreign maintenance contracts, and procurement of safety infrastructure.
Najomo raised serious concerns about the non-remittance of the mandatory 5% Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) and Cargo Sales Charge (CSC) by some commercial airlines. According to him, such non-compliance significantly impacts the NCAA’s internally generated revenue and hampers its ability to carry out essential safety oversight functions.
“Non-remittance weakens NCAA’s ability to fund safety oversight and operational efficiency. Some operators deliberately under-report revenues, manipulate ticketing systems, or divert funds. In such cases, EFCC’s intervention is necessary,” he stated.
He also highlighted the issue of illegal charter operations disguised as private flights—an avenue often exploited for unregulated financial flows. He stressed the importance of EFCC’s financial intelligence in uncovering such schemes.
Najomo proposed key areas of collaboration, including joint investigations, intelligence sharing, staff training on financial red flags, and joint sensitization workshops to strengthen compliance and oversight in the sector.
In his response, EFCC Chairman Mr. Ola Olukoyede welcomed the partnership, noting that the aviation sector has been identified as a significant channel for money laundering, particularly through chartered services.
“With the kind of work you do, when people see us beside you, they will take you seriously. Aviation is an area where we have seen money laundering, particularly through chartered services,” he said.
He urged the NCAA to increase surveillance at the private wings of airports, which he described as hotspots for illicit financial activity. He assured that the EFCC is prepared to support NCAA’s regulatory efforts, particularly in addressing non-remittance of statutory charges, fraudulent ticketing systems, and illicit financial flows exploited by some foreign airlines.
Olukoyede also revealed plans to assign senior EFCC officers to collaborate with the NCAA on finalizing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate joint investigations, intelligence exchange, and compliance monitoring.
“We will continue to work with you until we achieve the desired results,” Olukoyede assured, pledging the EFCC’s full support in sanitizing the aviation industry.
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