The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is a service organization statutorily charged to manage all Commercial Airports in Nigeria and provide service to both passenger and cargo airlines. Generally, FAAN aims to create conditions for the development in the most economic and efficient manner of air transport and the services connected with it.
Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. Headquarters of FAAN.
Origins of Civil Aviation in Nigeria
Civil Aviation in Nigeria is a spin-off of the British colonial rule. The British government at the time was maintaining an active Royal Air Force (RAF) base in Khartoum, Sudan. On sensing the trouble in Kano, London swiftly signalled the commanding officer of the Khartoum RAF Squadron, instructing him to fly to the Northern Nigerian city and report on the situation. Without air routes, maps or radio communications the flight was regarded as "a particularly hazardous operation". Subsequent flights were to be originated from Cairo, Egypt where the RAF also had a base. The landings were so spectacular that one Kano resident was moved to paint the scene (the water colour picture was later acquired by the government).
The earliest known commercial aviation activity in Nigeria is credited to one gentle man, "Bud" Carpenter, who owned the earliest type of the Light aircraft, de Havilland Moth. In the early 1930s, an enterprising pilot carried a few fare-paying passengers in a seaplane between Lagos and Warri. Consequently, a representative of the Air Ministry in London visited Nigeria to inspect what could then be appropriately described as "landing grounds". It must be remembered, however that what was called an aerodrome in those days would by no means meet requirements for even some of the small aeroplanes of' modern times.
These services thus pioneered commercial international operations in Nigeria, although it was not until 1936 that commercial aviation actually came to Nigeria. The Imperial Airways, the forerunner of the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), operated large four-engined aeroplanes, known as the Hannibal class or the Handley, on the Nile route from Cairo to Kisumu, Uganda. In Nigeria early pilots were brave and had to weather the harsh harmattan and rainy conditions. But there was one peculiar emergency landing near Maiduguri in 1937. Engineers were promptly despatched from Kano. They arrived a day later on horseback with their tool kits.
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Early Regulatory Framework
The 1964 Civil Aviation Act saw the establishment of the legal framework for the regulation of aviation in Nigeria, which placed all aspects of aviation under firm government control. In 1971 the Nigerian government appointed Netherlands Airport Consultants (NACO) to survey the existing international airports, prepare a master plan, and conduct feasibility and economic impact studies for the upgrading of Lagos airport and 13 other airports in the country. Many of the country's Airport terminals were rehabilitated and remodeled to increase their capacity.
WAAC was charged to "develop air services in and between West African territories". The airline began services with a six-seater De Havilland Dove aircraft. Its Nigerian domestic services were operated with the Dove while the West Coast services were operated with Bristol Wayfarers. On attaining independence in 1957 Ghana pulled out of the airline company, and in August 1958 the Nigerian government in partnership with BOAC and Elder Dempster lines formed the West African Airways Corporation (Nigeria) limited (which would later develop into today's Nigeria Airways).
Краткая история АВИАЦИИ
Evolution of Aviation Authorities
But prior to 1989, the regulations of the Civil aviation industry as well as provision of air traffic services were carried out by the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) of the Federal Ministry of Aviation. Sequel to the adoption of the National Policy on Civil Aviation of 1988 by the Federal Government, the Federal Civil Aviation Authority (FCAA) was established under Decree 8 of 1990 as a Civil Aviation regulatory body which took over the function of CAD. However, towards the end of 1995, the government undertook a landmark re-organisation of some government parastatals in the Aviation Industry and as a result, the FCAA was scrapped.
As a signatory to the ICAO Convention, it was thus required that every member-state should establish an autonomous state organisation to be named Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Consequently, in 1999 the Federal Military Government promulgated Decree 49 to establish what is to be known as the Nigeria Civil Aviation of Authority (NCAA) before the handing over to a democratically elected government on 29th of May 1999.
Change in FAAN leadership.
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The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) was created by an Act of Parliament in 1999, with among others, perform statutory responsibilities of ensuring regulation, monitoring and promotion of the safety, security, economic and reliability of air navigation oversight in line with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Standard and Recommended Practices (SARPs).
FAAN's Role and Operations
The Federal government of Nigeria for over three decades after the political independence has been fundamentally involved in the establishment and management of profit and non-profit making organizations in the economy. The target is to create and fast tract the independence and development of the economy. This historical research work is attempted at describing one of Nigeria’s public organizations that has been seen to be viable, vibrant and dynamic in the country’s transportation economic sector for over six decades.
FAAN operates all the 21 airports in Nigeria and these are distributed across the country with five of them providing links to other countries. The Authority manages 21 airports namely: MMA, Kano, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Maiduguri, Kaduna, Calabar, Enugu, Owerri, Jos, Sokoto, Yola, Benin, Minna, Ibadan, Akure, Makurdi, Katsina, Ilorin, Zaria and Osubi airports. Offices exist at all the 21 Airports in Nigeria viz: Murtala Muhammed Airport Ikeja, Lagos,Abuja, Kano, Port Harourt, Calabar, Enugu, Maiduguri, Jos, Benin, Sokoto, Yola, Owerri, Ilorin, Ibadan, Akure, Katsina, Minna, Makurdi, Zaria, Osubi and Bauchi. Makurdi is a military airport owned by Nigerian Air force. FAAN operates a small commercial terminal building and collect PSC from commercial Airlines passengers. Zaria Airport is used for training of pilots and Aviation professionals.
The marketing scope of FAAN spans Domestic and International routes. Four Airports operate International flights to the world, five Airports operate Hajj flights, and Calabar Airport operates flights through the West African sub-region. FAAN is a public enterprise owned by the Federal Government of Nigeria. PHC International Airport Plc comprising Port Harcourt, Calabar, Owerri, Enugu Airports.
Presently, it has potential output of generating and collecting revenue of about N18 billion annually.
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FAAN's Key Functions:
- Landing & Parking Int.
Technological Advancements and Infrastructure
FAAN has acquired internet and personal computers, all connected to its five clusters of LAN (Local Area Network) which is linked to a WAN (Wide Area Network) through radio. FAAN has commissioned its AOMIS (Airport Operations and Management Information System) and this is running on the network. FAAN has also acquired SunSystems which include Payroll, Sun Account and Human Manager. These also have been implemented on the network. Arrangements have been made to link the WAN to an Unlimited Wireless Internet Access soon.
When dealing with the complete range of complex systems in use for safety of air traffic services in the environment, every minute detail is taken into account in planning for maintenance infrastructures and logistic support. Currently, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria equipment/facility status and failure information are received through service operator/users reports and many other types of diverse monitoring devices However, with the determination of the Authority to improve services, more elaborate monitoring devices aimed at immediate detection of equipment/facility failures are now envisaged to cope with the increasing sophistication of various systems. This is a special dedicated workshop/laboratory where specific system maintenance is carried out to component-level. The maintenance, repairs, modification etc., of all analogue units are carried out with conventional measuring apparatus such as traditional multi-meters, generators, oscilloscopes, etc.
The procurement, proper storage and easy retrieval of spare parts are a primary responsibility of the stores unit of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria. In view of the very large volume of spare parts stocked for every system, there are plans to computerize this sector in order to enhance performance.
Vision and Mission
To provide aviation safety and economic regulation in the most efficient, effective, quality and technology driven manner to the satisfaction and benefit of all stakeholders, consistent with the highest international standards and the sustainable development of the industry and national economy. To be one of the leading civil aviation authorities in the world.
Prospects
The need for Airport Services and developments are enormous in all countries of the world today. The huge potentials of the third world countries in air transportation are yet to be fully harnessed for maximum benefit. The aviation industry in Nigeria is yet to attain full potentials but is still growing.
Summary of FAAN Managed Airports
| Airport | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA) | Ikeja, Lagos | International Airport |
| Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport | Abuja | International Airport |
| Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport | Kano | International Airport, Hajj Flights |
| Port Harcourt International Airport | Port Harcourt | International Airport |
| Maiduguri Airport | Maiduguri | Domestic Airport |
| Kaduna Airport | Kaduna | Domestic Airport |
| Margaret Ekpo International Airport | Calabar | Regional, Hajj Flights |
| Akanu Ibiam International Airport | Enugu | International Airport |
| Sam Mbakwe Airport | Owerri | Hajj Flights |
| Yakubu Gowon Airport | Jos | Domestic Airport |
| Sadiq Abubakar III International Airport | Sokoto | Hajj Flights |
| Yola Airport | Yola | Domestic Airport |
| Benin Airport | Benin | Domestic Airport |
| Minna Airport | Minna | Domestic Airport |
| Ibadan Airport | Ibadan | Domestic Airport |
| Akure Airport | Akure | Domestic Airport |
| Makurdi Airport | Makurdi | Military Airport |
| Katsina Airport | Katsina | Domestic Airport |
| Ilorin Airport | Ilorin | Domestic Airport |
| Zaria Airport | Zaria | Training Airport |
| Osubi Airport | Osubi | Domestic Airport |
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