The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has given a “no objection” to the eSIM service operated by Univasa Nigeria Limited, saying the initiative could help address internet connectivity challenges faced by Nigerian air travellers abroad.
The authority said the service could improve passengers’ travel experience by providing easier access to internet services and communication while travelling outside Nigeria.
The NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, said the authority’s position followed an assessment of the service and feedback from users.
Speaking at a recent UNIVASA-NCAA stakeholders’ engagement in Abuja, Achimugu said the decision was driven by the need to support solutions to challenges affecting passengers.
He identified internet connectivity as a recurring concern for Nigerian travellers, particularly those who need to purchase local data plans after arriving in foreign countries.
According to him, the initiative also aligns with the Federal Government’s policy of supporting local businesses that develop solutions to identified challenges.
Achimugu said the NCAA would support Univasa because its service addresses a specific connectivity need among Nigerian passengers.
“When we identify a problem, we seek to solve those problems, to make the travel experience better for Nigerian passengers,” he said.
Read Also: nitda-hails-tinubus-digital-agenda-says-technology-can-drive-economic-growth
He added that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, uses the service when travelling abroad, alongside some chief executives in the aviation sector.
Also speaking, the NCAA Special Adviser to the Director-General, Ifueko Abdulmalik, said the authority was interested in the initiative primarily from the perspective of passenger experience.
She noted that travellers entering or leaving Nigeria often face connectivity challenges and said reliable internet access could make communication and movement easier.
“From the customer angle, we think that this would help passengers improve their travel experience,” Abdulmalik said.
Meanwhile, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Univasa Nigeria Limited, Dr Ben Adeniyi, said the eSIM service was developed partly to help international travellers remain connected when they arrive in new countries.
Adeniyi said the Univasa eSIM provides connectivity across more than 150 countries and over 200 destinations. He added that the company’s physical SIM, known as P-SIM, was designed for phones that do not support eSIM technology.
He said the growing need for international connectivity had made reliable internet access increasingly important for travellers who need to stay in touch with family, friends and contacts at their destinations.
The Vice President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and a partner with Univasa Nigeria Limited, Dr Halimat Adediran, said the service had agreements with numerous telecommunications networks across the world.
According to her, the system can switch between available networks when the quality of a particular network becomes inadequate, helping travellers maintain connectivity.
Adediran added that the service could provide an alternative to purchasing local data plans or expensive roaming services after arriving at their destinations.
