Nigeria’s aviation sector is facing mounting safety concerns as the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) warns that the country risks losing effective airspace surveillance due to obsolete radar infrastructure.
At the heart of the challenge is the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) system, once a cornerstone of national air traffic monitoring. NAMA’s Managing Director, Farouk Umar, described the system as critically degraded, noting that key components have become outdated with little or no functional backup.
Originally commissioned in 2001 and fully deployed by 2010, TRACON has significantly exceeded its projected operational lifespan of approximately a decade. Much of its technology, Umar said, is now obsolete by global standards, raising urgent concerns about the country’s ability to safely manage increasing air traffic.
The implications for aviation safety are substantial. Without reliable radar coverage, maintaining adequate separation between aircraft becomes increasingly difficult, heightening the risk of mid-air incidents. The situation also threatens Nigeria’s compliance with international safety benchmarks set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Compounding the technical challenges are financial constraints that have limited NAMA’s capacity to upgrade critical systems. Umar disclosed that a 30 percent federal government deduction from the agency’s internally generated revenue has significantly reduced available funding for maintenance and modernization.
Rising operational costs, particularly for fuel used in power generation, have further strained resources. Meanwhile, the agency continues to charge airlines a fee of ₦11,000 per flight a rate unchanged since 2008 despite inflationary pressures and escalating costs. Attempts to revise the tariff, he noted, have encountered resistance within the industry.
NAMA is also contending with manpower shortages, limited staff training, and growing debts owed by airlines and state-owned airport operators, factors that collectively threaten its operational resilience.
Responding to the concerns, Mahmoud Kambari, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, acknowledged the urgency of the situation and pledged government intervention to avert a potential breakdown in Nigeria’s airspace management system.
The warning underscores a critical moment for Africa’s largest aviation market, where infrastructure renewal and policy reform may prove decisive in safeguarding both safety standards and international confidence.
ELIJAH ADEYEMI
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