The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), says it is optimistic that the certification of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, would be achieved by July.
General Manager, Public Relations, NCAA, Mr Sam Adurogboye,  told newsmen in Lagos that the certification process of both airports was going on simultaneously.
He said the regulatory authority was working with representatives of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Western and Central Africa (WACAF), to ensure the completion of the project.
Adurogboye explained that there were still some open items that needed to be closed before the airports could be certified.
He said:”What happens is that the process is in phases and you move from one phase to the other and it is only when the people involved are through that you can move to the next phase.
“We are actually at the third phase and when we are through, we will move to the fourth phase, which means we are almost getting there.
“The certification of both airports is being done simultaneously and we are hoping to complete it by July.’’
Our source gathered that the certification of the airports is being done by the ICAO WACAF, under its implementation of the Africa-Indian Ocean (AFI) Plan Aerodrome Certification Project.
The AFI Plan was adopted by the 36th ICAO Assembly to address the safety status of aircraft operations in the AFI Region.
It is meant to address focal areas which are: to establish and maintain a sustainable oversight system (infrastructure/capacity building) and assist states to resolve identified deficiencies within reasonable time.
The plan also aims to enhance the aviation safety culture of African aviation service providers.