Nigeria has taken a significant step towards developing Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) by hosting a high-level regional workshop on Access to Finance for SAF Production in Lagos.
The workshop, organised by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in collaboration with the National Council on Climate Change Secretariat (NCCCS) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), brought together stakeholders from 14 African countries, international financial institutions, and SAF project developers.
The workshop aimed to address investment challenges, risk mitigation, and project bankability for SAF and marked a major milestone in Nigeria’s transition towards Sustainable Aviation Fuels.
The Director General of NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo, inaugurated six Technical Working Groups (TWGs) that will guide Nigeria’s SAF development across policy, feedstock, infrastructure, finance, sustainability, and technology.
The TWGs will play a crucial role in shaping Nigeria’s SAF roadmap, and the workshop provided a platform for stakeholders to discuss various de-risking strategies and the role of all actors in achieving viable SAF production in Africa.
Additionally, the workshop enhanced understanding of SAF Direct Supply Line and its financial assessment tools, shared best practices in financial strategies, and identified key stakeholders within the finance sector.
The event was attended by representatives from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), EU delegations to Nigeria and WACAF, other international organisations, industry stakeholders, and partners.
The workshop was coordinated by the Directorate of Air Transport Regulations of the NCAA.
According to Capt. Chris Najomo, access to finance for SAF production projects is critical to reducing the environmental impact of aviation, aligning with ICAO’s Long-Term Aspirational Goal (LTAG) of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Najomo stated that the workshop marked a significant step towards achieving this goal and that Nigeria’s commitment to developing SAF is expected to have a positive impact on the environment and the aviation industry.
The development of SAF is a crucial step towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions from aviation, and Nigeria’s efforts in this area are expected to contribute to the global goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.
With the Technical Working Groups in place, Nigeria is poised to take a leading role in the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuels in Africa.
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