NCAA revokes pilot's licence over expired medical certificate

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has revoked the Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence (ATPL) of a Pilot for serious violation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs), the authority said.

This revocation followed the Pilot operating flights on non-scheduled operations while his medical certificate had expired.

In a statement by the authority Sunday it stated that “During these flight operations, the Pilot repeatedly exercised the privileges of his License ATPL (A) when he was not qualified to exercise such privileges.

“Specifically, the Pilot’s Medical Certificate commenced validity from 17th July, 2017 and expired on the 16th January, 2018. Another one was processed on 11th May, 2018 which expired on the 10th November, 2018.

“However, investigation has revealed that instead of the Pilot revalidating his Medical Certificate he conducted flight operations as the Pilot-in-Command (PIC) in flagrant disregard of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs).”

According to Part 2.11.1.2-(b) A flight crew member or air traffic controller shall not exercise the privileges of his/her licence unless he/she holds a current medical certificate appropriate to the licence.

Consequent upon this, the Authority has determined that pursuant to Part 2.11.1.2(b) of the Nig.CARs, the Pilot has lost the privileges of his Licence.

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Sam Adurogboye, general manager, Public Relations, NCAA, stated that the pilot did not hold a current medical certificate appropriate to the Licence.

“Resultantly, in Part 2.2.9.3 (a) A licence, rating, authorisation or certificate shall be revoked if the holder has lost the skills for exercising the privileges mentioned in the document or fails to meet appropriate medical standards as shown by the result of a medical examination or a test.

“Therefore, in line with Part 1.3.3.3(a)(1) of the Nig.CARs, the Pilot’s Licence ATPL (A] [ A- Aircraft] is hereby revoked with immediate effect, and it ceases to be effective.

“The Pilot has been directed to return the invalidated licence to the Authority’s Director of Licensing (DOL) within seven days of receipt of the Letter of Sanction.

The letter has since been despatched accordingly,” the statement added.

IFEOMA OKEKE

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.