The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has ordered a major reshuffle of top directors at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). 

The move comes amidst swirling allegations of corruption within the regulatory body and concerns over recent safety breaches.

The reorganization is reportedly targeted at addressing perceived inefficiencies and compromised oversight, particularly within the agency’s Directorate of Airworthiness Standards, the critical unit responsible for ensuring aircraft safety and compliance.

Under the new directive, Mr. Godwin Balang, formerly the Director of Aerodromes and Airspace Standards, has been moved to head the Directorate of Airworthiness Standards. 

He officially resumed his new role on Tuesday at the NCAA headquarters in Abuja.

To fill the vacancy left by Balang, Alhaji Ahmad Abba, previously the Director of Special Duties at the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), has been redeployed to the NCAA as the new Director of Aerodromes and Airspace Standards.

Sources within the ministry suggest the shake-up is a direct intervention to tighten regulatory control in a department that has recently faced accusations of procedural laxity. 

“The airworthiness department is the backbone of aviation safety. A leadership change at that level is rarely a coincidence,” a ministry source disclosed.

The administrative changes follow a series of concerning aviation incidents reported by the Nigeria Safety Investigation Board (NSIB) in December 2025.

On December 14, 2025, a Hawker 800XP aircraft (5N-ISB) with eight people on board crash-landed at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport due to a landing gear anomaly.

Two days later, on December 16, 2025, a Cessna 172 (5N-ASR) crashed on approach to the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport in Owerri. Fortunately, no lives were lost.

Prior to these, questions were raised regarding the August 2023 crash of a Jabiru J430 (5N-CCQ), which went down shortly after receiving a Special Certificate of Airworthiness, an approval critics alleged was issued without sufficient technical scrutiny.

The reshuffle also aligns with Minister Keyamo’s recent pledge to investigate claims of corrupt practices within the agency. 

In a recent interview, Keyamo confirmed receipt of incriminating documents alleging compromised standards at the NCAA.

Expressing concern that such allegations had been in the public domain without an official response, the Minister vowed to conduct a comprehensive probe, insisting he would not tolerate any actions that jeopardize air safety.

Similarly in a statement, Tunde Moshood, the Special Assistant on Media and Communications to the Minister, described the changes as a measure for “administrative effectiveness.”

While he noted that the Minister’s investigation into the corruption allegations is still ongoing, Moshood maintained that the redeployment was necessary for the agency’s operations. 

“It has nothing to do with the complaints; sometimes you just must do some things. The investigation is still ongoing,” he stated.