Aviation
NAMA clarifies effect of Power outage on Lagos Radar
By Ikenna UGWU and Oyise OGHENE
LAGOS-Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has confirmed that the Lagos radar was shut down briefly to protect the system from technical defect following power outage at the site which affected the Automatic Mains Failure (AMF) switch.
The Automatic Mains Failure switch connects or disconnects the mains or generator and vice versa depending on availability.
The breakdown of the switch over the weekend was caused by incessant power outage at the airport, forcing the agency to deploy an emergency procedure to save the system from colossal damage.
The incident, however, did not pose any threat to air traffic safety as air traffic controllers on duty immediately shifted to procedural handling of flights as they are equally licensed to practice such during an emergency situation.
In a press statement issued by the agency, the Managing Directo, Engineer Mazi Nnamdi Udoh, supervised the Engineers who were deployed to rectify the fault on the AMF and were able to restore power to the radar system which began operation shortly after switching to the generator.
The operation of the radar was part of the epoch making landing at the Lagos airport of a newly acquired Dreamliner-Boeing 787 by Ethiopian Airlines.
Radar
Engineer confirmed last night that the incident got nothing to do with the integrity of the radar,saying that “the system is working perfectly”.
Speaking further on the development General Manager, Public Affairs, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Mr. Supo Atobatele has said that radar shut down does not pose any threat to safety of aircraft flying in the Nigerian airspace.
Mr. Atobatele said that the radar can be shut down for maintenance purposes adding that all that the ATC would do was to switch to the procedural system by using radio to communicate with the pilots in the air.
According to him,”there is no serious implication about the shutting down of the radar. Radar itself is an instrument, it is a system on its own and what it does is to assist the Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) to vector aircraft and monitor the aircraft”
Mr. Atobatele however pointed out that in the event of radar shut down, what would happen is that the ATC would fall back on the procedural method of communicating with the pilots through the use of radio.
According to him,”In the event where the radar is shut down, what the ATC will do is that they will immediately switch to what is called the procedural system, they will use radio to communicate with the pilots, so there is no threat in that, the question we should ask is what were they using before the advent of radar, it was the procedural system, it is only that the radar makes the job faster, it can handle more traffic like in one hour, it can handle about ten to fifteen aircraft but when you are using procedural, the traffic you handle will be lower than when you are using the radar system”
Meanwhile, one of the General Manager in the Engineering Department, of the agency said in the event of a total failure of the radar that the aviation industry would be plunge into a big crisis situation.
The General Manager who refused to have his name in print pointed out that it would be difficult for the Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) to effectively monitor the various aircraft in the air in the event that the radar system was shut down completely.
He said”If the radar is shut down briefly which of course means that we have power redundancy. But if it is completely shut down, definitely we will have crisis in our hands because you have aircraft that are sequence on their final that is about landing and then everything suddenly goes off. You may not know the numbers of aircraft and their spacing between one another, their flight levels and so on, so that can cause problem”
“This is what is called procedural air navigation, you need to see what the aircraft is doing, you want to talk to an aircraft, you need to know the flight level and sequence them on landing, you need to see them and see their performance, you have to see their altitude as well” he added.General Manager, Public Affairs, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Mr. Supo Atobatele has said that radar shut down does not pose any threat to safety of aircraft flying in the Nigerian airspace.
Mr. Atobatele said that the radar can be shut down for maintenance purposes adding that all that the ATC would do was to switch to the procedural system by using radio to communicate with the pilots in the air.
According to him,”there is no serious implication about the shutting down of the radar. Radar itself is an instrument, it is a system on its own and what it does is to assist the Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) to vector aircraft and monitor the aircraft”
Mr. Atobatele however pointed out that in the event of radar shut down, what would happen is that the ATC would fall back on the procedural method of communicating with the pilots through the use of radio.
According to him,”In the event where the radar is shut down, what the ATC will do is that they will immediately switch to what is called the procedural system, they will use radio to communicate with the pilots, so there is no threat in that, the question we should ask is what were they using before the advent of radar, it was the procedural system, it is only that the radar makes the job faster, it can handle more traffic like in one hour, it can handle about ten to fifteen aircraft but when you are using procedural, the traffic you handle will be lower than when you are using the radar system”
Meanwhile, one of the General Manager in the Engineering Department, of the agency said in the event of a total failure of the radar that the aviation industry would be plunge into a big crisis situation.
The General Manager who spoke to Biztellers on the condition of anonymity pointed out that it would be difficult for the Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) to effectively monitor the various aircrafts in the air in the event that the radar system was shut down completely.
He said”If the radar is shut down briefly It of course means that we have power redundancy. But if it is completely shut down, definitely we will have crisis in our hands because you have aircraft that are sequence on their final that is about landing and then everything suddenly goes off. You may not know the numbers of aircraft and their spacing between one another, their flight levels and so on, so that can cause problem”
“This is what is called procedural air navigation, you need to see what the aircraft is doing, you want to talk to an aircraft, you need to know the flight level and sequence them on landing, you need to see them and see their performance, you have to see their altitude as well” he added.
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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