The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has commenced a technical assessment of firefighting systems at major Nigerian airports as the country moves towards replacing potentially harmful PFAS-based firefighting foams with safer, fluorine-free alternatives.
According to the authority, the three-day mission, which began on Monday and ends Wednesday, is being conducted under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Fortifying Infrastructure for Responsible Extinguishment (FIRE) Project.
The assessment covers the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, with the NCAA working alongside the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), environmental authorities and other stakeholders.
PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals” because of their persistence in the environment, have historically been used in firefighting foams.
Concerns over their potential environmental and health impacts have led to tighter international controls on some PFAS compounds.
Under the FIRE Project, ICAO/UNEP experts are expected to examine Nigeria’s procurement, storage, use, handling and disposal of firefighting foams, as well as the condition and compatibility of airport rescue and firefighting equipment.
The mission will also assess the possible environmental and occupational risks associated with existing firefighting arrangements and determine the technical and regulatory requirements for a gradual shift to fluorine-free foams.
Particular attention will be paid to whether alternative foams can work effectively with existing airport firefighting vehicles, tanks, pumps and delivery systems.
The NCAA said the transition would be guided by the need to protect the environment without compromising the ability of airports to respond effectively to aircraft emergencies.
It stressed that aviation safety would remain paramount throughout the process, with the transition carefully managed to ensure that airports continue to meet required aircraft rescue and firefighting standards.
The agency said the exercise would also help strengthen Nigeria’s regulatory framework for airport rescue and firefighting services while promoting responsible chemical management and occupational safety.
The FIRE Project, implemented by UNEP and executed by ICAO with funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), covers five African countries ;Nigeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya and South Africa.
Running from 2025 to 2030, the initiative has an estimated value of $82.5 million, comprising a $10 million GEF grant and about $72.5 million in co-financing.
At the wider programme level, the project targets the environmentally sound management and removal of about 4,500 tonnes of PFAS-contaminated materials from firefighting vehicles and related systems, as well as the safe disposal of approximately 130 tonnes of PFAS-based firefighting foam concentrate.
At the end of the Nigerian mission, the authorities are expected to have a clearer picture of the country’s PFAS stock, equipment and infrastructure requirements, regulatory gaps, training needs and environmental management challenges.
The findings are expected to form the basis for a national roadmap for the phased transition to fluorine-free firefighting foams across Nigerian airports.
The initiative also provides Nigeria an opportunity to align its airport firefighting practices with emerging international environmental standards while ensuring that emergency response capability and operational readiness are not weakened.
For the NCAA, the exercise represents a convergence of two priorities that are often treated separately maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety while reducing the environmental footprint of airport operations.
