The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has dismissed claims that Nigeria’s airspace is unsafe, insisting that flight operations remain secure despite concerns raised by aviation professionals over outdated equipment.
In a statement issued by its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Dr. Abdullahi Musa, the agency acknowledged that the Eurocat C radar system currently in use is outdated but stressed that efforts are underway to replace it with a more modern system.
The Eurocat C system is an automated surveillance platform used for processing radar, flight plan, and meteorological data to support air traffic control operations.
The clarification comes after the Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers’ Association (NATCA) warned that it could no longer guarantee the safety of Nigeria’s airspace, citing obsolete Communications, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) infrastructure and poor working conditions.
NATCA leadership, including President Edino Ilemona Amos and General Secretary Umar Fahad, said controllers were being forced to operate under system limitations that fall below acceptable global aviation safety standards.
Responding, NAMA said it has already begun deploying the Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) system as a backup to existing radar infrastructure, describing it as a step to ensure continuous and real-time air traffic monitoring across the country.
“In the interim, NAMA has commenced the deployment of the ADS-B system as a reliable backup… This measure ensures continuous, real-time surveillance and guarantees the safe, orderly and efficient flow of air traffic,” the agency said.
NAMA also highlighted ongoing investments in manpower development, noting that over 140 air traffic controllers have received specialised training abroad in the past year to improve operational efficiency and safety standards.
In addition, about 40 cadets have graduated from training programmes at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, and the Nigerian Air Force Air Traffic Service Training Centre in Kaduna, while another 30 cadets are currently in training.
The agency further stated that it is addressing welfare concerns raised by staff, including issues related to career progression, allowances, and workload stress, in collaboration with the supervising ministry.
Despite the disagreement between regulators and controllers, NAMA maintained that Nigeria’s airspace remains safe, efficient, and continuously monitored as modernization efforts progress.
