Nigerian lawmakers urge aviation regulators to consider alternative landing when VIPs are flying

The Senate on Tuesday urged aviation regulatory agencies in Nigeria to redesign their operational procedures to ensure that aircraft are diverted to alternative airports whenever the movements of President Bola Tinubu and other Very Important Persons (VIPs) necessitate temporary airspace restrictions.

The upper chamber said diverting aircraft to alternative airports would be safer for passengers than keeping them airborne for extended periods while landing operations are suspended to accommodate VIP movements or other security-related activities.

The lawmakers made the call after debating a motion on the risks of keeping aircraft airborne in holding patterns at Nigerian airports because of VIP movements and other security-related activities.

The motion was sponsored by Isah Jibriin (APC, Kogi East) during plenary.

The senator called on the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) to review their operational procedures.

Mr Jibrin said commercial aircraft scheduled to land at some domestic airports were sometimes forced to remain airborne for extended periods, reportedly exceeding an hour, whenever landing operations were temporarily suspended to accommodate VIP movements or other security-related activities.

He also noted that international flights scheduled to land at Nigerian airports sometimes divert to alternative airports within the country when airspace or airport access is temporarily restricted at their intended destinations because of VIP movements.

The senator acknowledged that security and operational requirements tied to VIP movements and related activities were legitimate and must be respected. However, he said such requirements should be managed in ways that do not expose commercial aircraft to avoidable safety risks.

He said prolonged airborne holding patterns could significantly increase fuel consumption and reduce the operational fuel reserves available to aircraft, particularly when delays exceed the period reasonably anticipated by pilots and airlines.

Mr Jibrin also warned that prolonged holding could expose aircraft to additional operational risks, including deteriorating weather conditions, air traffic congestion, reduced flexibility for diversion, crew duty-time constraints and potential fuel-related emergencies, particularly when several aircraft are simultaneously awaiting land clearance.

He therefore urged the Senate to call on aviation regulators to enforce operational procedures requiring advance coordination and timely notification of planned airspace restrictions to airlines.

He said that whenever restrictions were foreseeable, the relevant authorities should manage air traffic at points of origin by preventing aircraft from taking off rather than allowing them to depart only to remain airborne while awaiting land clearance.

Mr Jibrin also urged the Senate to direct its Committee on Aviation to engage with the NCAA, NAMA, FAAN and NSIB to ensure strict compliance with the proposed measures.

Debate

Several senators who contributed to the debate supported the motion and its prayers.

Diket Plang (APC, Plateau Central) questioned why aviation regulators allowed airlines to take off when they knew that VIP aircraft movements could disrupt landing operations.

He warned that failing to manage the country’s airspace could result in a major aviation disaster.

Abdul Ningi (ADC, Bauchi Central) said airlines and regulatory agencies were behaving as though Nigeria were a lawless country, noting that flight delays and cancellations remained widespread.

After the debate, Senate President Godswill Akpabio put the motion and its prayers to a voice vote, and most senators supported them.

Mr Akpabio subsequently directed the Senate Committee on Aviation to convene a meeting between lawmakers and aviation regulatory agencies to discuss the issue.

Movement of VIP aircraft

The movement of the Nigerian president and other top government officials by air often requires security and operational arrangements involving aviation and security agencies to protect the officials and manage air traffic.

Under Nigeria’s aviation regulations, aircraft carrying a head of state, head of government or an equivalent dignitary may be granted priority in air traffic management, where practicable and following a pilot’s request.

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) 2023 provide for such priority alongside ambulance and mercy missions, search and rescue operations, and civil defence or police emergencies.

However, the regulation also establishes that aircraft in emergencies take priority over other aircraft, while landing aircraft take priority over departing aircraft.

The Nigerian aviation authorities have also acknowledged the existence of VIP flight movement protocols. In a 2021 presentation to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Nigeria said the protocols were implemented through direct coordination between civil and military aviation authorities, depending on the VIP’s position.

In practice, security restrictions associated with such movements can affect aircraft operations, including take-off and landing schedules, depending on the nature and duration of the restrictions.

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Airlines may be required to delay departures until restrictions are lifted. At the same time, aircraft already airborne may be instructed by air traffic controllers to remain in holding patterns pending land clearance.

The practice has previously attracted criticism from aviation stakeholders over its implications for airline operations and passenger safety.

In April 2023, airline operators raised concerns over delays associated with VIP movements, warning that keeping commercial aircraft airborne while awaiting clearance could increase fuel consumption and expose passengers to avoidable operational risks.

A former Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Roland Iyayi, subsequently proposed establishing dedicated air corridors for VIP movements to minimise disruptions to commercial aviation.

The issue also attracted legislative attention in December 2017, when the House of Representatives considered a motion expressing concern that VIP movements were preventing commercial aircraft from landing on short notice.