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Nigeria

Africa

NCAA — Advisory Circular NCAA-GAD-AC-002 (Unmanned Aircraft System Operations)

Nigeria classifies drones by weight tier (up to 7 kg, 7-25 kg, 25-150 kg, over 150 kg per Advisory Circular NCAA-GAD-AC-002). Registration is restricted to Nigerian citizens, residents or legal entities, and mandatory insurance applies to all operators.

Max altitude

122 m

Limit of 400 feet (about 122 m) above the surface, unless a specific area states otherwise. In Port Harcourt the limit drops to 300 feet under the helicopter route.

Operator registration

Yes, required

Mandatory through the NCAA's dedicated RPAS portal for drones with an operating mass above 25 kg (above 150 kg they register as a full aircraft); restricted to Nigerian citizens, residents or legal entities.

Pilot license

Depends on the case

Certification requirements depend on the weight tier: up to 25 kg the regime is lighter, between 25 and 150 kg additional authorizations are needed, above 150 kg full NCAA manned-aircraft-style regulation applies.

Insurance

Recommended / conditional

Mandatory third-party and war-risk liability insurance for all operators, per the minimum levels set by Nigeria's insurance law; compliance is actively monitored (§6.5 of the circular).

Zones to avoid

Visual line of sight (VLOS) within 500 m of the pilot (extendable with a safety case). Forbidden within 150 m of a congested area or open-air assembly of over 1,000 people; within 50 m of a vehicle/vessel/structure not under the operator's control or of a person (30 m if the person is part of the operation); surveillance/filming drones must stay 30 m from anyone. Recommended 5 km buffer from airports for the 7-25 kg tier.

What isn't 100% confirmed yet

Data verified against the full text of Advisory Circular NCAA-GAD-AC-002 (2nd edition, 163 pages), published by the NCAA.

Verify officially before flying

Source: NCAA — Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority

Open official site Open Portale RPAS NCAA

Last checked: 2026-08

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Informational content, not legal advice. Zones and rules change constantly: always check the country's official website before every flight.