AM EDITORIAL: Building Data Accuracy For Nigeria’s Aviation Industry Growth
In September 2026, Air Peace Management issued a public statement refuting an earlier flight disruption report published by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for August 2026, alleging “fundamental data inaccuracies” regarding it’s operational volume.
The airline said it operated a total of 2,564 flights in August 2026, as opposed to the 1,864 flights stated in the NCAA report adding that an internal review of its “August 2026 flight data performance analysis reveals that 391 flights, which is only 15% of the delays experienced during the month of August, were caused by internal factors. The rest of the delays experienced by Air Peace were caused by external factors, and we have the data to support this.”
Without any attempt to blame either the NCAA or the airline or an intention to sound negative, we wish to state that the absence of an accurate generally acceptable data smirks of an aviation with a bleak future on growth because as the saying goes, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail; and no effective planning happens without an accurate data.
This disagreement throws up a data governance challenge that confronts Nigeria’s aviation industry. Though the NCAA had maintained that figures from its report were based on airline submissions and independent monitoring by its officers, the argument
suggests that the industry needs as a matter of urgency, a proper data governance system.
Transparency in generation of data and players’ scrutiny or awareness as well as acceptance of data sources will avoid a repeat of such controversy over records on flight delays, cancellations and other such vital business decision related information.
There is a need to evolve a properly integrated, independently sourced data on airline flights, passenger and aircraft traffic and other vital data information on the industry
If we develop a system where both regulator and operator are aware that the data available to them is equally available to other sources of the data, the outcome becomes impossible to dispute.
NCAA under the present dispensation has already upped the stakes in flight information service, compared to what existed before. Based on its digitalization efforts, the regulator deserves commendation. However, it should see to the emergence of a data sourcing structure, which subjects the system to a digital record that demonstrates exactly what happens at every point in time, how they happen and present accurate classification for each case in terms of data outcomes.
A monthly report by the NCAA for instance, generated in collaboration with airlines on flights operated and delayed, in addition to their average, controllable delays and cancellations, and those caused by external factors, can help the industry a lot to avoid controversial data. It will enable both agencies and operators identify their weaknesses and strengths as regards on-time performance and even, influence business decisions.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) have a vital role to play in supporting the NCAA to smoothen up the governance of industry data.
After 100 years of civil aviation in Nigeria, it is time to build a system where data speaks for itself because of the deployment of digital technology, proper systems integration and collaboration among responsible stakeholders. AM
