An investigation has revealed that the number of private business aircraft in Nigeria has increased from 44 in 2005 to 157 in 2024. Meanwhile, the Ministerial Task Force on Illegal Air Charter Operations has identified high net-worth individuals and foreign-registered aircraft as major offenders.
At a briefing on the task force’s preliminary findings, spokesman Mr. Roland Iyayi disclosed that the committee had uncovered widespread illegal charter operations in the country. In June 2024, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo established the task force, chaired by Aero Contractors CEO Captain Ado Sanusi.
Other task force members include the Special Assistant to the Minister, Obafemi Bajomo, and Gyro Air CEO, Captain Daniel Quansah. The task force was formed in response to complaints about illegal charter operations, which have resulted in significant revenue losses for the federal government.
Private jet operators, including high net-worth individuals and large companies, are granted non-commercial flight permits by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). These permits prohibit commercial operations, known as “hire and reward.” However, many operators violate these terms by leasing their aircraft for commercial use, undermining legitimate air charter businesses.
The task force’s preliminary findings indicate that many private jet owners are using their planes for commercial flights in violation of their permits. Captain Sanusi emphasized that illegal charter operations compromise the safety and integrity of the aviation industry and the country as a whole.
In the past two weeks, the task force has been gathering data from various sources and soliciting confidential memos from the public and stakeholders. Iyayi highlighted the alarming prevalence of illegal charter operations, involving not just small-time operators but also high net-worth individuals and foreign-registered aircraft, which are not under NCAA oversight.
He further revealed that the NCAA lacks the capability to monitor these private jets effectively, leading to significant revenue losses for the federal government over the past two decades. Additionally, those engaged in illegal charter operations use “opaque passenger manifesting” to conceal passenger identities by listing the aircraft owner’s or a prominent individual’s name, which is an unconventional method of preparing passenger manifests.
