NCAA will digitize licensingfor pilots and aviation staff starting in July

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) announced that it will replace its manual, paper‑based licensing system with a fully digital platform for pilots, engineers, medical personnel and other aviation professionals.

The digital regime is slated to become operational on July 2, 2026. It is intended to remove the long delays and bureaucratic bottlenecks that have long frustrated aviation professionals seeking licences, renewals and certifications from the regulator.

Speaking on Tuesday at the unveiling of the Modern Personnel Licensing and Certification (MPLC) initiative, part of the NCAA Digital Transformation Programme, the Director‑General of Civil Aviation, Capt. Chris Najomo addressed stakeholders at Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos. He said the era of endless waiting for aviation licences will soon be over.

Najomo described the initiative as a major milestone in the authority’s ongoing reform agenda, emphasizing that Nigeria’s aviation sector can no longer rely on outdated systems in a rapidly evolving global industry.

“Personnel licensing in America is key to airline operators. It is very important. This is what pertains everywhere in America and other advanced aviation systems.

“I am sure airline operators are asking, ‘When are we going to start? When are we going to stop waiting one week, two weeks, sometimes one month for licences to come out?’ But I tell you, it is going to be over soon. There will be no more waiting.”

Najomo explained that the digital transformation will provide a transparent online process for issuing, renewing and converting licences, and will allow applicants to track the status of their applications in real time.

He added that the platform will incorporate biometric‑backed credentials and QR‑code licence verification, aligning with international best practices and enhancing security, transparency and data integrity across the industry.

Najomo noted that the global aviation sector has moved beyond fragmented databases, semi‑automated systems and paper‑driven workflows, stressing that modern regulatory oversight now depends heavily on technology and real‑time verification.

“The deployment of this digital licensing and medical certification platform represents the first phase of the NCAA’s wider digital transformation programme,” he said.

He disclosed that later phases will address Air Operator Certificates, processing of Approved Training Organisations, Approved Maintenance Organisations, aerodrome certifications, air navigation service providers, ground handling organisations and dangerous goods approvals.

The authority also reported progress in shortening the time required to issue Air Operator Certificates (AOC) for airlines.

“Before now, obtaining an AOC could take between one and two years. We reduced that timeline to between six and eight months, and with this digital platform, we are looking at reducing it further to about 90 days,” Najomo said.

Najomo further explained that the platform will extend to technical certification processes, including aircraft registration, airworthiness certification, aircraft maintenance programme approvals, export and import certification of airworthiness, supplemental type certificates and monitoring of airworthiness directives.

In his welcome address, the Director of Airworthiness Standards, Engr. Godwin Balang, said the MPLC project will finally end the era of paper‑based aviation certification in Nigeria.

Balang stressed that effective aviation oversight can no longer be managed manually, especially in an industry driven by speed, accuracy, compliance and safety.

“What we are going to find with my team is not something you can use paper files to do. You need systems. That is why we are gathered here today.

“The Director‑General has picked this project, and within two years, he has moved it from where he met it to where it is today. What you are seeing on the screen is the landing page of the software we are talking about.”

According to Balang, the MPLC system comprises several integrated components—a central module, a personnel licensing module, a technical records module and an organisational approvals module—designed to streamline regulatory oversight across multiple sectors of the industry.

“It has a central module, personnel licensing module, technical records module and organisational approvals module. This is a very big area,” he explained.

He further disclosed that the NCAA has engaged international technical partners and experts to study global best practices in aviation digitalisation, ensuring a smooth implementation of the project.

Balang added that a team from the authority recently travelled to South America for a five‑day technical engagement focused on the deployment and operationalisation of the MPLC project.