On Apr. 8, IATA announced a US$3.7 million initiative, the Implementation Program for Safe Operations in Africa, that will give 30 African carriers access to the organization's Flight Data Analysis tool over a three-year period.

IATA DG and CEO Giovanni Bisignani said in Lagos that the partnership is designed "to improve both safety and efficiency." IATA said that just 25 African airlines are among the 193 on the IOSA registry and that 15 have open findings ahead of the Dec. 31 deadline.

The association is working to bring carriers into compliance while urging governments to make IOSA a requirement. "Already Egypt and Madagascar are mandating IOSA as part of their safety oversight programs. I want to see more African governments follow their lead, including Nigeria," Bisignani said.

IATA recently opened a subregional office in Lagos serving Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Liberia and Cape Verde.