The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is under fire from a prominent civil society group, which has labelled the aviation regulator’s recent decision to ban the use of “airplane mode” during flights as an “outdated” and “embarrassing” directive.

The directive, announced on Tuesday by the NCAA’s Director-General, Captain Chris Najomo, mandates that all passengers must now completely switch off their mobile phones and other electronic devices during the critical phases of take-off and landing. This new rule effectively ends the long-standing practice of using the “flight mode” option and came just days after a highly publicized incident involving an unruly passenger who allegedly refused to turn off her phone.

The Network for the Actualisation of Social Growth and Viable Development (NEFGAD) swiftly condemned the move. In a statement signed by its Country Head of Office, Akingunola Omoniyi, the group argued that the directive is a “bid to cover up its regulatory backwardness and organisational ineptitude.” NEFGAD contends that the modern aviation world has long moved past such stringent rules.

“The NCAA directive has clearly shown the outside world that Nigeria’s airspace is dominated by obsolete planes manufactured before the year 2000,” the statement read, adding that “modern aircraft today provide free Wi-Fi services for passengers throughout flight operations, while Nigerian authorities are still attempting to enforce obsolete practices.”

The criticism from NEFGAD is a reflection of a broader frustration with the state of Nigeria’s aviation industry. The group noted that global aviation standards, as seen in the United States and Europe, permit the use of devices in airplane mode, as modern avionics are well-shielded against electromagnetic interference. By banning this feature, NEFGAD claims the NCAA is signalling that Nigerian airlines are not up to international standards, a move that could discourage foreign investment.

While the NCAA has not yet officially responded to the criticism, the Director-General had stated that the new rules are part of a broader crackdown on unruly passenger behavior and a commitment to enforcing stricter compliance. However, for many, the new regulation is an unnecessary step backward that fails to address the more pressing issues of poor passenger experience and the lack of modern technology in Nigeria’s aviation sector.