The transition marks a decisive break from manual, paper-heavy workflows that have historically slowed approvals and created administrative bottlenecks. According to the regulator, the new system is designed to modernise how personnel licensing is handled, while aligning Nigeria more closely with global aviation standards.
The reform was formally presented at the Modern Personnel Licensing and Certification (PEL/MED) Stakeholder Engagement on the NCAA Digital Transformation Initiative, held at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos.
“No more waiting”: NCAA pushes urgency for reform
Director-General of Civil Aviation, Capt. Chris Najomo, framed the shift as both overdue and necessary, noting that global aviation systems already rely heavily on digital verification and real-time regulatory oversight.
Capt. Najomo said:
“I am sure airline operators are asking, ‘When are we going to start? When are we going to stop waiting one week, two weeks, sometimes one month for licences to come out?’ But I tell you, it is going to be over soon. There will be no more waiting.”
He stressed that personnel licensing remains a critical pillar of aviation safety and operational efficiency worldwide, adding:
“Personnel licensing in America is key to airline operators. It is very important. This is what pertains everywhere in America and other advanced aviation systems.”
The DGCA described the reform as part of a broader push to eliminate inefficiencies that have long slowed down regulatory approvals in Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem.
From paperwork to real-time tracking
Under the new system, applicants will be able to submit requests, renew licences, and track application status online in real time. The platform will also introduce biometric verification and QR-code-enabled licences, making authentication faster and more secure.
Najomo explained that the shift goes beyond convenience, pointing to global standards that increasingly demand digital traceability and stronger data integrity in aviation oversight.
He further noted:
“The deployment of this digital licensing and medical certification platform represents the first phase of the NCAA’s wider digital transformation programme.”
Subsequent phases are expected to extend digital processing to Air Operator Certificates, Approved Training Organisations, maintenance organisations, aerodrome certification, air navigation service providers, and approvals related to dangerous goods handling.
Cutting years of delay down to months
One of the most significant promises tied to the reform is the drastic reduction in approval timelines for key aviation certifications.
Najomo disclosed improvements already achieved in Air Operator Certificate (AOC) processing and outlined even more ambitious targets going forward.
He said:
“Before now, obtaining an AOC could take between one and two years. We reduced that timeline to between six and eight months, and with this digital platform, we are looking at reducing it further to about 90 days.”
The initiative will also streamline technical certification processes such as aircraft registration, airworthiness approvals, maintenance programmes, import and export certification, supplemental type certificates, and monitoring of airworthiness directives.
Ending the era of manual aviation oversight
At the same engagement, Director of Airworthiness Standards, Engr. Godwin Balang, emphasised that the aviation sector can no longer function efficiently using paper-based systems.
Balang stated:
“What we are going to find with my team is not something you can use paper files to do. You need systems. That is why we are gathered here today.”
He highlighted the progress already made under the initiative, adding:
“The Director-General has picked this project, and within two years, he has moved it from where he met it to where it is today. What you are seeing on the screen is the landing page of the software we are talking about.”
A fully integrated regulatory platform in development
The planned Modern Personnel Licensing and Certification (MPLC) system is being built as an integrated digital framework covering multiple regulatory functions. It includes a central module alongside dedicated systems for personnel licensing, technical records, and organisational approvals.
Balang explained:
“It has a central module, personnel licensing module, technical records module and organisational approvals module. This is a very big area.”
He also confirmed that the NCAA has engaged international experts and technical partners to ensure the system meets global best practices. As part of this effort, a technical team recently travelled to South America for a five-day engagement focused on studying implementation models for similar digital aviation systems.
A broader transformation agenda
The digital licensing platform is only the first phase of a wider transformation agenda aimed at modernising aviation regulation in Nigeria. The NCAA says the long-term goal is to eliminate fragmented systems and replace them with a unified, technology-driven regulatory ecosystem that improves safety oversight, efficiency, and accountability across the sector.