By George Ozalla
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has commenced a comprehensive review of its Personnel Licensing (PEL) examinations to improve the quality of assessments for aviation professionals and ensure that examination questions reflect changes in regulations, technology and operational requirements.
The Director-General of Civil Aviation, Capt. Chris Najomo, announced this on Monday, October 12, 2026, at the opening of a five-day workshop organised by the NCAA PEL Examination Committee in Lagos. He was represented by the Director of Operations, Licensing and Training Standards, Capt. Donald Spiff.
The workshop, themed “Transforming Personnel Licensing Through Computer-Based Testing,” is examining existing questions, developing new ones to address emerging aviation technologies and operational demands, and ensuring that the examinations comply with Nigerian aviation regulations and international standards.
Najomo said the review was necessary to keep personnel licensing examinations in line with developments in the aviation industry and the standards required of professionals responsible for flight operations, aircraft maintenance and air traffic management.
He identified the review of existing examination questions as one of the committee’s major tasks. The committee is also expected to prepare new questions that reflect changes in aircraft technology and operational practices, while ensuring that the examinations conform to national regulations and the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) Annex 1 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, which deals with personnel licensing.
According to him, the PEL Examination Committee was established to assist the NCAA in carrying out its examination responsibilities, including developing and administering tests and reviewing them periodically for the issuance of licences, certificates and ratings under Part 2 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs) 2023.
The DGCA stressed that the committee’s work was closely linked to aviation safety because the examinations help determine whether pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers and air traffic controllers have the knowledge and competence required for their respective duties.
He said members must possess the technical expertise and integrity required for the assignment, as well as a sound understanding of aviation regulations. He also emphasised that examination questions must be accurate, objective and fair, and must conform to approved syllabi.
Najomo noted that the Nigerian aviation industry was expanding, with growth in the number of operators, airports and training organisations. He said the development made it increasingly important to ensure that personnel entering or advancing within the industry were assessed through reliable examination systems.
He urged committee members to use the five-day workshop to review the existing questions carefully, address areas requiring improvement and strengthen the standards applied in assessing aviation personnel.
The workshop has brought together members of the PEL Examination Committee, aviation safety inspectors, licence examiners, industry subject-matter experts and representatives of Approved Training Organisations.
Their work is expected to cover examination questions across various licence categories, including the development of new questions for modern-generation aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aircraft. The review is intended to ensure that the examinations reflect the knowledge and technical demands associated with the different types of aircraft and aviation operations.
