By Seun Ibiyemi
Nigeria’s performance in ICAO’s USAP-CMA, ICAO Universal Security Audit Programme Continuous Monitoring Approach Sustainability Indicator is 71.04 percent.
This figure represents the country’s average Effective Implementation (EI) of the eight Critical Elements (CEs). It regards the number of satisfactory Protocol Questions divided by the total number of applicable PQs related to that CE.
Previous audit comparisons
Nigeria scored 96.3 percent in the 9-day audit conducted in June 2015. The current result saw the country losing 25.26 percent. The country also went through a safety audit in 2008 where it scored 67 percent and just last year 2023, it scored 70 percent.
Historically, the audit system has changed over time since Nigeria embarked on the audit in 2008. Back then it was an assessment system called the security assessment, it metamorphosed into Universal security audit programme and from 2014 it became the ICAO USAP-CMA. Nigeria is one of the first countries in the world to go through ICAO USAP-CMA in 2015 as it is now known.
The present audit revealed the country’s Compliance Indicator for Annex 17 Standards are 59.82 percent. The decline in Nigeria’s performance in the ICAO USAP-CMA highlights significant areas for improvement. Addressing these deficiencies is crucial for enhancing national and global aviation security.
The USAP-CMA aims to improve aviation security compliance by analysing Member States’ performance and implementation of security standards. It focuses on Annex 17: Security Standards and Annex 9: facilitation compliance, along with associated procedures and security practices.
The goal is to enhance the implementation of security standards and recommended practices, identify security deficiencies, and facilitate the resolution of these deficiencies to improve overall aviation security.
According to a statement by FAAN in March 2024, Team Lead of ICAO Security Audit Programme, Callum Vine, announced Nigeria’s strong performance during a debrief after the audit. However, the results are the complete opposite, with the country’s Compliance Indicators dipping.
Detailed assessment of Nigeria’s security performance
Nigeria was judged based on the General Principle, Organisation, Preventive Security Measures, and Management of Response to Acts of Unlawful Interference. Under the General Principle, Nigeria scored 72 percent in its Objectives, 0 percent in applicability, and 100 percent in International Cooperation. Nigeria’s performance in ICAO’s USAP-CMA.
In the Organisation category, the country scored 54 percent in National Organization and Appropriate Authority, 71 percent in Airport Operation, and 44 percent in Aircraft Operations. For training, qualification, and security culture, Nigeria received a score of 55 percent, while in quality control, it scored 40 percent. Conversely, Air Traffic Service Providers received a perfect score of 100 percent.
Regarding measures relating to passengers and their cabin baggage, 50 percent furthermore in measures relating to cargo, mail, and other goods, and 60 percent in measures relating to hold baggage. Moreover, the country scored 86 percent in measures relating to special categories of passengers and 100 percent in measures relating to landside.
However, due to national security concerns, this publication will not discuss the other security critical elements of the audit.