The Managing Director, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, George Urensi has said that a lot has to happen before an airport can be certified, and that a lot of work is going on round the network.

Mr. Urensi explained that an airport has to meet certain standards; the runway must also meet certain standards of length, width, visual and navigational aids, light amongst others must meet international standard before you can operate an airport.

Speaking on Channels Television Business programme, Business Morning, Mr. Urensi said that some years back there were no air covers which put passengers flying around the country at a risk because there won’t have been a response if there was an incident.

He said that today we are compliant of air covers flying around the country; and he debunked the statement of industry experts saying the terminals are paid more attention to at the expense of safety.

He added that Nigerian airports are not certified, “Not because we failed certification audit but, because we have not had a certification audit done yet”.

Mr. Urensi assured Nigerians that the Murtala Mohammed International Airport and Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja will be certified in the first quarter of next year and then to other parts of the country.