August 29, (THEWILL) – Captain Chris Ona Najomo, an aviation professional, is currently the Acting Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
Appointed on December 13, 2023, Najomo succeeded Captain Musa Nuhu, who was suspended over alleged corrupt practices by President Bola Tinubu.
Until his new appointment, the Delta State-born aviator expert was the Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NCAA. He previously served as the Director, Air Transport Regulation between 2022 and 2023.
A distinguished aviation professional with over four decades of experience in leadership, piloting, and regulatory expertise, Najomo began his career with an Air Traffic Control Assistant Course in 1980 at the Federal Civil Aviation Authority Training School in Lagos. He later obtained his C.P.L/IRMEL from the Airline Training Institute, California, USA.
Before joining the NCAA, Capt. Najomo was the Chief Pilot at Arik Air (2021 to 2022), Line Captain Arik Air, 2008 to 2017 and NCAA’s Designated Examiner: B727; T.R.E, EMB120 (2007 to 2008). He was also a one-time Managing Director/CEO, Capital Airline (2005 to 2007) and the Director, FLTOPS, Al’Barkar Airline – Abuja, 2004 to 2005.
With a total of 24,000 flying hours from 30 years of career, Najomo has flown B727, BACI – II, SE210, CE550, EMB120, B737 (600-900s) and Airbus 330.
Najomo has several awards and recognitions. He got a CE550 Rating in 1984 at American Eagle Aviation – California, USA; the SF210 Type-Rating, Aviation, (1984) at the Point Airline – Orly, France; BAC I-II Type (1985), Rating Held in Dublin, Ireland; and A.T.P.L Type Rating, (1989) Pegasus Training Centre – Texas, USA.
Others include B727 Type Rating, 1994 USAIR – Pittsburgh, USA; B737 NG-600 – 900 Type Rating, Luton, UK, 2006; B 120 Type Rating Held in Paris, 2006, and AIRBUS 330 Type Rating, Aviation, 2013 AIRBUS Training Center, – Miami, USA, UK.
Other certificates include FLT Safety International, 2004, SIMCENTRE, Le – Miami, Paris, USA, EMB 120 Panel and Instructor Course-TRE, 2007, C.R.M Curriculum; FUNDAMENTALS of Instruction Cur, 2004 SIMCENTRE, – Miami, USA, USA, E.M.B 120 Type Rating; EMB 120 Panel and Instructor, 2006 to 2007, B737 NGRE Qualification Course, Aviation, 2017, CTC Training Centre, – Southampton, UK, and FLORIDA Light Sport Aviation Academy – USA.
His certifications also include: IATA Certificate, IATA Law of Aviation Insurance, Law of Aviation Insurance, 07/2023 to 08/2023, IATA Training Centre – London, UK, IATA Certificate, Transport Economics, Transport Economics, 07/2023 to 08/2023, IATA Training Centre – London, UK and IATA Certificate, Airline Financial Mgt. UK, Airline Financial Mgt., 07/2023 to 08/2023, IATA Training Centre – London, UK.
