Barely three years after Nigeria’s aviation achieved the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Category 1 status, the agency is billed to return for a mandatory re-assessment of Nigeria’s aviation industry on March 31, 2014.

Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt Fola Akinkuotu, who disclosed this to journalists at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, on Sunday, however noted that the visit is not just about getting Category 1 certification, but maintaining it.

For example, India recently lost its Category 1 status, adding that already NCAA has set up a technical committee headed by the Capt. Abdulahi Sidi to oversee the exercise,  he said.

Akinkuotu added that members of the committee were also drawn from the disciplines such as Human Resource, Finance and Accounts, Legal and Administration.

The NCAA boss disclosed that the FAA is coming to see if the processes that Nigeria aviation  documented some years  back have been well implemented and complied with, in line with international practice.

According to him, “Nigeria’s aviation industry is under scrutiny and the success of this mandatory re-assessment is dependent on the documented processes and whether the processes are being followed in line with international practices.

“The aim of the re-assessment is to ensure that our processes are right,” he added.

On the benefits of Category 1, Akinkuotu said it would ensure that Nigeria continues to fly directly to the United States without having to go through a third party country with category 1.

The NCAA boss, expressed optimism that Nigeria’ current aviation processes can help to sustain Category 1, adding that countries so certified enjoy very low premium on insurance, because the risk assessment will be low.

“Nigeria will continue to maintain the elitist class. Nigeria is one of the three African countries with Category” he said.