The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria disclosed that the international certification of the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport and Port Harcourt International Airport are now in the final stages.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority certified the airports to have met the safety standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation for international airports globally.
“We are currently in the final stages for the certification of both airports. We are closing the gaps and before the end of the current administration, the certification will be completed,” the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, FAAN, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, told our correspondent on Monday.
The certification is one of the requirements of ICAO and NCAA and includes safety, security and equipment. It is done in five stages, the last stage is the presentation of the certification to the management of FAAN.
Mr Sam Adurogboye, the General Manager, Public Relations of the NCAA, said the certification of the Kano and Port Harcourt airports had been ongoing for some time, with emphasis on Kano.
He said, “It is about enhancing the safety status of the airports as a requirement by the ICAO that international airports be certified. Not all airports go through that. Although there is no airport that does not go through safety procedures, international airports are required to have certain standards such as in terms of equipment and workers’ training, among others.
“What that means is that among other requirements for the certification, their safety personnel must have certain training and they will develop certain manuals for that exercise. It will be easier this time for FAAN, having gone through such certification in Lagos and Abuja airports.”