NCAA’s Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, said in a statement on Friday that the suspension was rooted in its Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023 Part 18.3.4 which forbids holders of Permit for Non-Commercial Flights (PNCF) from using their aircraft for carriage of passengers, cargo or mail for hire or reward which is commercial operation or charter service.

According to the statement, the suspended operators are Azikel Dredging Nigeria Ltd, Bli-Aviation Safety Services, Ferry Aviation Developments Ltd, Matrix Energy Ltd, Marrietta Management Services Ltd, Worldwide Skypaths Services, Ezuma Jets Ltd, Mattini Airline Services Ltd, Aero Lead Ltd and Sky Bird Air Ltd.

The NCAA warned that engaging PNCF holders for commercial purposes is illegal, and vowed that it will not hesitate to initiate enforcement actions against any PNCF holder found guilty of illegal operations.

The statement said: “As a result of flagrant disregard of this rule, the NCAA had earlier directed all holders of PNCF to undergo re-evaluation which should have been concluded by the 19th of April 2024.

“To this end, the  NCAA has suspended the permit for noncommercial flights of Azikel Dredging Nigeria Ltd, Bli-Aviation Safety Services, Ferry Aviation Developments Ltd, Matrix Energy Ltd, Marrietta Management Services Ltd, Worldwide Skypaths Services, Mattini Airline Services Ltd, Aero Lead Ltd, Sky Bird Air Ltd and Ezuma Jets Ltd.”

The Authority, had in April, suspended three private jet operators’ permits for commercial flights.

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had directed private jet operators to desist from using private jets for commercial purposes in 2023 but the operators continued in such act.

Subsequently, in March 2024, the NCAA had issued a stern warning to holders of the permit for non-commercial flights, PNCF, against engaging in the carriage of passenger-cargo or mail for hire and reward, the NCAA said in a statement.

“The Authority had also deployed its officials to monitor activities of private jets at terminals across the airports in Nigeria.

As a consequence of this heightened surveillance, no fewer than three private operators are involved in violation of the annexure provision of their PNCF and Part 9114 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023.

“In line with our zero tolerance for violation of regulations, the Authority has suspended the PNCF of these operators.”

The regulator had also directed that all non-commercial flight permit holders be re-evaluated on or before April 19, 2024.

“All PNCF holders will be required to submit relevant documents to the authority within the next 72 hours.

“This riot act is also directed at existing Air Operator Certificate (AOC) holders, who utilise aircraft listed on their PNCF for commercial charter operations.”

The regulator stressed that only aircraft listed in the Operation Specifications of the AOC were authorised to be used in the provision of such charter services.

“Any of those AOC holders who wish to use the aircraft for charter operations must apply to the NCAA to delist the affected aircraft from the PNCF and include it into the AOC operations specification.”

The NCAA urged the travelling public to stop patronising any airline charter operator who does not hold a valid Air Operator Certificate issued by the NCAA.