In response to recent disturbances onboard Nigerian flights, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued a new directive requiring all passengers to completely switch off their mobile phones during flights.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, the Director General of NCAA, Chris Najomo, emphasized that passengers must turn off their devices during takeoff and landing — the most critical stages of air travel.
The move comes after a high-profile altercation between a passenger, Comfort Emmanson, and a crew member aboard an Ibom Air flight, which sparked debate over inconsistent policies across airlines.
“As a takeaway and to avoid ambiguity and confusion, all mobile phones and other portable electric devices should be switched off during the critical stage of flight on all Nigerian airlines. Switch off. Nothing like flight mode any longer,” Najomo announced.
He further directed all Nigerian carriers to revise their operations manuals to reflect the new policy and submit them for NCAA approval.
“Nigerian air operators are therefore required to amend their operators’ manuals to reflect this requirement and submit to the NCAA for approval,” he stated.
Najomo noted that while this directive is firm, it could be reviewed in the future as aviation technology advances. “We remain alert to future reviews of this requirement as aircraft technological enhancement improves,” he explained.
He also underscored the shared responsibility between crew and passengers in ensuring compliance. “It remains the responsibility of the crew to communicate this requirement to the passengers and the responsibility of the passenger to comply with crew instructions,” he added.
