NCAA Orders Passengers to Switch Off Phones During Take-Off and Landing

Emmanuel Femi Adedayo Posted on 4 months ago 1 min read

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has directed that all mobile phones must be completely switched off during aircraft take-off and landing across the country.

The aviation regulator announced the directive on Tuesday following an emergency meeting with stakeholders.

Michael Achimugu, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, disclosed the decision in a post on X, stressing that the regulation concerning mobile phones and other electronic devices in Nigerian airspace has now been unified.

Henceforth, the regulation per phones and other electronic devices in Nigeria has been unified:

ALL PHONES MUST BE SWITCHED OFF DURING THE CRITICAL ASPECTS OF TAKE OFF AND LANDING.

All airlines must amend their security programmes to reflect this if different in their current… https://t.co/2ZfjbdO3eb
— Michael Achimugu (@mikeachimugu01) August 19, 2025

He noted that the move was necessary to strengthen aviation safety protocols.

“Henceforth, the regulation per phones and other electronic devices in Nigeria has been unified: ALL PHONES MUST BE SWITCHED OFF DURING THE CRITICAL ASPECTS OF TAKE-OFF AND LANDING,” Achimugu stated.

He added that all airlines must amend their security programmes to reflect the directive if they currently operate differently.

The NCAA further emphasized that passengers will no longer be allowed to rely on airplane mode during these critical phases of flight.

According to the agency, the use of mobile devices will only be reconsidered when the regulation is reviewed to accommodate evolving technological advancements.