Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority Approves Increase In Ground Handling Charges For Airlines

By Chioma Iruke

Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has approved new safety threshold charges for air cargo companies, 35 years after the amendment of ground handling charges.

The new rates would commence from October 1, 2021 for international airlines and January 1, 2022 for domestic operators.

NCAA approved between $1,500 and $5,000 (passenger and cargo flights) for handlers for a narrow and wide body aircraft, respectively, while domestic operators will now pay between N20,000 and N70,000, depending on the aircraft type.

Narrow body aircraft are Boeing B737, Airbus A320, ER 135 and ATR, while wide body aircraft are B767, A330, B777, B747 and B787.

In Nigeria, the rates are between $400 and $1,139 for narrow and $3,000 and $3,200 wide-body aircraft depending on the negotiation of the international airline. But with this approval, Nigerian ground handling companies can now charge the same handling rates as their counterparts in the sub-African countries.

The directive was contained in a circular signed by Director General of the NCAA, Captain Musa Nuhu, dated September 6, 2021 with the reference number: NCAA/DG/AIR/11/16/315, addressed to “All Airlines and Ground Handling Companies” (foreign and local) with the subject: “Safety Threshold Ground Handling Charges”.

“All stakeholders are invited to note that the new ground handling rates for international and domestic operations will become effective on 1st October, 2021 and 1st January, 2022, respectively.

“All stakeholders are directed to ensure full compliance with the safety threshold ground handling charges. Any change to these charges must be done in formal consultation with and approval of NCAA. Please be guided accordingly,” it read in part.