Aviation
Unsafe Airspace: NAMA debunks claim by Air Traffic Controllers
By Oyise OGHENE
LAGOS: Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Engineer Mazi Nnamdi Udoh yesterday debunked the claim by Air Traffic Controllers that the Nigeria Airspace was unsafe for pilots flying within the country.
Speaking at the agency headquarters in Lagos, Engineer Udoh pointed out that NAMA would like to use the opportunity to reassure Nigerians, all the airspace users, pilots and other stakeholders that the Nigeria airspace is safe for flight operations.
He said”for record purposes, NAMA wants to use this opportunity and this platform to reassure Nigerians and all our airspace users, pilots and other stakeholders that the airspace is safe and will always be safe”
Engineer Udoh further said that if the claim that the country’s airspace was unsafe was from the purview of the Air Traffic Controllers then it means that such Air Traffic Controller had not been working in the last three months stressing that he wonders how aeroplanes could have been flying in the last three months yet they say, the airspace was unsafe.
“If they are quoting Air Traffic Controllers, it means that, that Air Traffic Controller has done no work in the last three months and he is not supposed to be paid and how do aeroplanes fly in the last three months” he asked.
Engineer Udoh however pointed out that the only challenge that was confronting the agency at the moment was its long range of frequency of communication that it has just introduced affirming that there was no control tower that has a single challenge in the country at the moment.
“Now the simple explanation is this, you will not say that you have total DHF today, what were you doing before, we talk to Lagos, we talk to Benin, we talk to Asaba, we talk to Port-Harcourt or Enugu we called it point to point communication now in Lagos with one frequency you can communicate until you are transferred to Port-Harcourt that is just the meaning of that but because of congestion you have to separate East and West of that sector. So at a certain level and at certain a distance from Lagos, you will be talking to Lagos West, Lagos East which is Port-Harcourt so when you are coming, you will talk to Lagos East which is another frequency, it is the same thing with the North. So it is divided into several parts you are talking to this side and you are talking to that side”
“You don’t have to talk to Kaduna going from Abuja to Kano because it is no more point to point because Kaduna now controls a lower level, Zaria controls a lower level so if you are going from Abuja to Kano you have no business with traffic overhead Zaria or Kaduna, if you do that, then you are going to have conflicts. So if people don’t understand, they will say that the control towers don’t have communication, there is no control tower in Nigeria today that has one single challenge we only have challenge on our long range because it is something new and we are integrating it and to integrate anything new in our airspace, we must do safety audit, we must look at the analysis because it is now long range and this is important that we get it clear” Udoh stressed.
According to him,”I make bold to present to you that NAMA received an airspace award just on Saturday. So, I will expect any journalist who is here with us to approach NAMA and ask question, I have a record that pilots have been flying blind in the last three months, is it true, there is rather increase in traffic, everyone knew the commitment to fly to Port-Harcourt over the weekend and we had nearly 150 aeroplanes going in and out of Port-Harcourt in two days, of course the airspace there was bereaved, small Port-Harcourt, how do those operations go. So never can it be true that our airspace is unsafe, if it is unsafe, we will tell you, we will issue a Notice to Air Men (NOTAM), there is an avenue to alert people, there is an avenue to seek for help and that avenue has not come up because that is not correct. If it is unsafe we should be able to tell Nigerians not to fly”
Corroborating the assertion of the Managing Director, the Director of Operations, NAMA Alhaji Mukaila Solola stressed that the claim by the Air Traffic Controllers was a campaign of calumny adding that such moves to tarnish the image of the agency and create unnecessary panic amongst the Nigerian travelling public could be as a denial to allow some of the controllers to go on foreign trip by the agency.
He said”We have taken the bold steps to nip in the bud this campaign of calumny because it impacts on the nation negatively and we would further use this moment to reassure all stakeholders that the situation is definitely not what is portrayed by mischief makers”
Earlier, there was a media report (Not Biztellers) that the Nigerian airspace is gradually becoming a nightmare for pilots flying within the country as indications shows that the radio communications on some routes may have collapsed.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced stringent measures against pilots and crew members who work for multiple airlines concurrently, a practice it describes as a serious safety violation.
In a letter dated November 6, 2024, Acting Director-General, Chris Nojomo warned that pilots operating for more than one airline without specific safety protocols pose significant risks to Nigeria’s aviation sector.
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The directive, titled “Prohibition of Ad-Hoc Flight Operators for Multiple Airlines,” noted that NCAA surveillance reports revealed multiple cases of unauthorized cross-airline work by flight crews, which the agency now plans to address.
According to the NCAA, simulator and proficiency checks endorsed on a pilot’s license are valid only for the specific airline and training program under which they were issued.
The letter stated, “With effect from the date of issuance of this directive, all operators and holders of pilot licenses are informed that this action will be treated as a violation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations.”
The NCAA’s new policy, effective November 11, 2024, warns that violators will face strict enforcement actions. Moving forward, simulator renewals will also be filed directly with individual operators, further tightening the agency’s oversight.
In a bold step to strengthen Akwa Ibom’s position in Nigeria’s aviation industry, Governor Umo Eno announced the addition of two new Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft to the fleet of the state-owned airline, Ibom Air, on Friday.
The two aircraft, registered as 5N-CED and 5N-CEE, mark a milestone in the state’s commitment to strategic investment, with the governor stressing that the acquisitions were fully funded by state resources without loans from financial institutions.
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At a welcoming ceremony attended by local officials and residents, Governor Eno emphasized his administration’s mission to drive revenue-generating ventures for Akwa Ibom rather than relying on debt.
He called the move a step toward breaking the cycle of government investments that only serve to pay off loans, vowing that the state’s funds would go towards projects that bring returns to the people.
The governor challenged Ibom Air to turn a profit by 2025, stating that the airline’s management should ensure routes in and out of Uyo remain dependable to prioritize the needs of Akwa Ibom travelers.
“As long as I remain governor, we will continue to use state funds for the benefit of all, not for private gain,” he said, noting that his administration aims to ensure that public investments deliver real value to the state.
Governor Eno also provided updates on several ambitious state projects, including an 18-story commercial complex underway in Lagos and an upcoming 4-star hotel in Abuja, both designed to generate revenue for Akwa Ibom.
Plans for an international market in Ikot Ekpene and the phased opening of a new terminal at the Victor Attah International Airport were also announced, with the airport terminal set for partial operation by December and full activation in early 2025.
Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Udeme Otong, commended Eno’s financial management, highlighting that the administration has avoided seeking loans over the past 18 months despite launching significant development projects.
Ibom Air’s Chairman, Pastor Imoabasi Jacob, expressed appreciation for the state’s investment in the airline, which has seen its fleet grow to nine aircraft.
Jacob credited the governor’s support with enabling Ibom Air to boost flight capacity, meeting demand on popular routes such as Uyo-Lagos-Abuja.
Captain Mfon Udom, CEO of Ibom Air, stated that the expanded fleet will improve efficiency and allow the airline to scale up its operations in time for the Christmas travel season.
Udom also noted that the airline anticipates the delivery of nine additional Airbus planes, which will further strengthen Ibom Air’s market presence.
Traditional leaders, including HRM Edidem Ita Edet Okokon III of Okobo Local Government Area, lauded the governor’s leadership, pledging continued support from the traditional institutions.
Anie Essienette, Group Manager for Marketing and Communications at Ibom Air, noted that demand for the airline’s services has surged nationwide, with the new CRJ900 aircraft helping meet this increasing need while the airline awaits further fleet expansion.
Nigeria’s Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo is of the view that there’s no cause for alarm over the approval of a private airstrip for a religious organisation, which attracted the attention of the House of Representatives.
He took to his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Friday morning to shed light on the subject, and explained that it could be a great source of revenue for Federal Government.
Keyamo asserted that the issue was raised by an honourable member at plenary, out of ignorance, but was “unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee to look into.”
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Keyamo expressed confidence that by the time his Ministry was done enlightening them, “they will be satisfied”.
He added that “the privates air strip owners pay the Federal Government handsomely for these services.”
Keyamo wrote, “I think this is not correct. The House of Reps. as a body did not call on the Minister to revoke the license of any private airstrip.
“I think what happened is that someone moved a motion in that regard and it was unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee to look into it.
“Whilst the intention of the Hon. Member who moved it is very patriotic, it was based on a complete lack of knowledge of the aviation sector.
“By the time we explain to them how private air strips work and the processes they undergo by our agencies before the final approval, they will be satisfied.
“The responsibility of the owners of private air strips is just to build the runway and terminal building. But after they build the control tower in particular, it is completely handed over to the Federal Government through NAMA (Nigerian Airspace Management Agency) which is in complete control of the entire airspace in Nigeria. An MOU is usually signed with NAMA in this regard before the airstrip is approved for operations.
“It is NAMA that provides the Air Traffic Controllers and Engineers in ALL AIRPORTS and AIRSTRIPS IN NIGERIA. And the privates air strip owners pay the Federal Government handsomely for these services.
“No object flies into Nigeria without the prior clearance by NAMA and without filing a clear flight plan, eg, where it is taking off from and where it intends to land.
“And I have recently directed that all aircraft coming into the country MUST first land at our international airports where they would be properly processed and checked before they make their local flights into whatever airport or airstrip they intend to go. So, it is COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY impossible for any private airstrip owner to just jump on an aircraft and fly in and out of the country through that facility. The Federal Government does not permit that. You will not be cleared for take off or landing without prior request and authorisation.
“I thank the Member for his patriotism, but I wish he contacted us first to explain to him before rushing to move such a motion.
“I attach herewith for public consumption the NAMA Act that gives exclusive control of the Nigerian airspace to the Federal Government through NAMA.”
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