The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has approved a reshuffle of key directors at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority amid reports of alleged corrupt practices involving senior officials of the regulator.

The redeployment is believed to be linked to accusations of inefficiency and weakened regulatory oversight within the authority’s Directorate of Airworthiness Standards.

The development follows reports issued by the Nigeria Safety Investigation Board on December 14 and December 16, 2025, which highlighted major aircraft incidents involving unscheduled flights.

In an interview with THISDAY about a week ago, the minister said he was aware of the allegations against the agency and confirmed receiving documents related to the claims.
Keyamo pledged to initiate an investigation and assured that its outcome would be made public.

He also expressed concern that despite the documents being in the public domain, relevant authorities had yet to respond.

The minister added that his ministry had begun a thorough probe, stressing that he would not permit any issue that could compromise air safety during his tenure.

Less than a week later, the reshuffle was carried out on the minister’s directive. The Directorate of Airworthiness Standards at the NCAA is a critical unit, responsible for ensuring that civil aircraft are safe and meet stringent regulatory standards.

However, the directorate has come under intense scrutiny, with multiple allegations of irregularities levelled against it. The concerns became more pressing following a series of aircraft incidents probed by the Nigeria Safety Investigation Board.

Under the reshuffle, Godwin Balang, formerly Director of Aerodromes and Airspace Standards, has been redeployed to head the Directorate of Airworthiness Standards, while Alhaji Ahmad Abba, erstwhile Director of Special Duties at the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, has been posted to the Directorate of Aerodromes and Airspace Standards to succeed Balang.
Balang formally assumed duty at his new post on Tuesday at the NCAA headquarters in Abuja.

Sources said the redeployment was an intervention aimed at strengthening oversight in a department accused by insiders of regulatory laxity and procedural lapses, according to The Punch.

A ministry source said, “The airworthiness department is where safety either stands or collapses. When leadership is changed at that level, it is rarely accidental.”