NCAA to unveil portal for real-time airline complaint resolution

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has commenced training its consumer protection officers and the airlines’ staff representative on using the soon-be-launched consumer protection portal to solve real-time passenger complaints against airlines.

Najomo made this known in a statement sent to journalists on Wednesday.

The two-day training began on Wednesday at the NCAA headquarters in Abuja and was opened by acting Director General Captain Chris Najomo, represented by Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection.

He added that the portal will also ensure the on-time performance of all the airlines operating in Nigeria.

“There has never been a consumer protection portal in the NCAA. This is the first. This is historic. When you check the time frame it took us to get to this point, you will see the determination to make it work” he said adding that the building of the portal started when he was the Director Public Affairs and Consumer Protection.

He also noted that the portal has made the job easier for the 260 CPOs across all the airports in Nigeria.

Najomo said the portal building is a fulfillment of one of his action points for 2024 because it speaks to the ease of doing business environment the Authority is consciously creating.

The portal makes the processes of complaints and complaints resolution very easier.

“This postal is also for data collation. You will agree that data is a major issue in Nigeria. In the aviation industry, you can’t make a proper plan and get things right without data. This portal makes it easier for everyone including stakeholders.

“The portal will ensure transparency as we are onboarding all the airlines where people get to see all the number of complaints that have been sent to each airline. You can track the resolution process. We don’t need to name and shame because it is a self-reporting system. You are already naming and shaming yourself if you don’t perform well” he emphasized.

The Acting DGCA stressed the need for thorough training for NCAA officers and airline staff to effectively use the new portal before its launch.

Assistant General Manager,  Consumer Protection, Ifueko Abdulmalik, said the portal is in line with NCAA’s automation of its processes amid reforms.

The portal represents the DG’s aim to automate NCAA processes to meet international standards. “In the past, we did it manually, which was inefficient. With automation, everything is simplified, and we will achieve better results in resolving consumer complaints,” she assured.

“We are onboarding the staff of the airlines so that they are also seeing the complaints in real-time. This makes the processes smoother, and faster and the consumers happier because that’s the ultimate goal” she noted.

“Regarding monitoring, she mentioned that both the minister and the DGCA will have access to the portal to continuously track complaint resolutions.

“Additionally, airlines can use the portal to log delayed flights, allowing the NCAA to oversee regulatory compliance, she added.