Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has met with the visiting team of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in Abuja, as a mandatory audit of the airport begins.

The ICAO team’s visit was in lieu of the much-awaited Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP).

Keyamo recognised the significance of ICAO USOAP in the international aviation industry, which is in tandem with Nigeria’s commitment to air transport safety and security.

He said Nigeria recognises the role of ICAO, which is aimed at constantly addressing and enhancing global aviation safety through coordinated activities.

He noted that the accomplishment of the audit had been a shared national responsibility and as such, the focus of the Federal Government.

“Nigeria is fully aware that ensuring a safe, secure, efficient and environmentally friendly civil aviation system, with modern and adequate infrastructure requires a properly funded and autonomous Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and an Independent National Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), together with well-established aviation service providers.

“In its bid to ensure continuous compliance with ICAO Standards and to meet the challenges of a rapidly growing air transport sector, the Nigerian government has continued to maintain and to reposition the industry for efficiency and the path of sustainable growth,” Keyamo said.