By George Ozalla
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has pledged its commitment to a safe and environmentally responsible transition from firefighting foams containing per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to fluorine free alternatives at Nigerian airports.
The Director General of Civil Aviation, Capt. Chris Najomo, made the commitment on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, when the NCAA hosted a technical mission of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) under the Fortifying Infrastructure for Responsible Extinguishment (FIRE) Project at the NCAA Corporate Headquarters in Abuja.
Najomo said the initiative was in line with the aviation industry’s increasing emphasis on maintaining high safety standards while reducing environmental risks associated with the use of PFAS containing firefighting foams.
He explained that the project would support feasibility studies and the development of phase out plans for selected Nigerian airports, including the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and the Port Harcourt International Airport.
According to him, the NCAA was ready to work with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), ICAO, UNEP, the Federal Ministry of Environment and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that the transition was properly managed without compromising aviation safety.
The DGCA said the collaboration was particularly important because the replacement of firefighting foam involves more than simply introducing a new product, requiring careful assessment of existing systems, equipment and operational requirements at the affected airports.
The Managing Director of FAAN, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, who was represented at the meeting by the General Manager, Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Services, Mr. Rimdap Nantim, also expressed the agency’s support for the project.
Kuku described the transition as an important step towards making airport firefighting operations more sustainable and environmentally responsible, while stressing that safety must remain at the centre of the process.
She called for closer cooperation among the agencies and organisations involved in the project, noting that successful implementation would depend on effective coordination and proper attention to operational requirements.
Giving an overview of the FIRE Project, its Coordinator, Mr. Eike Peltzer, disclosed that the initiative was funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), which has committed approximately $10 million to the project across five African countries.
The beneficiary countries are Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.
Peltzer said the 60 month project covers about 40 airports across the five countries and is built around four major areas: development of a regulatory framework, transition from PFAS containing firefighting foam, knowledge management and training, as well as monitoring and evaluation.
He explained that the project was designed to assist participating countries in addressing the technical, regulatory and operational requirements involved in moving to fluorine free firefighting foams.
The transition, he added, would require a detailed assessment of existing firefighting systems and equipment at the affected airports. The project would therefore support feasibility studies, phase out planning and training to ensure that the fluorine free alternatives adopted meet applicable aviation firefighting performance requirements.
The technical mission will continue with physical inspections of facilities in Lagos and Port Harcourt, where the team is expected to assess existing firefighting systems and equipment.
