NAMA MD, Farouk Ahmed Umar
The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has pushed back against reports questioning the safety of the nation’s skies, insisting Nigerian airspace remains safe for navigation, communication, and surveillance despite concerns over obsolete equipment.
In a statement signed by Dr Abdullahi Musa, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NAMA admitted its Eurocat C radar system is out of date after years of service but stressed that the Federal Government is already procuring a modern replacement.
To bridge the gap, the agency said it has begun deploying the Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) system as a reliable backup, ensuring continuous real-time aircraft tracking and orderly traffic flow.
The rebuttal comes days after NAMA Managing Director, Engr. Farouk Ahmed Umar, warned that the aging Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) system was putting airspace surveillance at risk due to obsolete parts and lack of spares, with components running without backup since the project’s 2008-2010 rollout.
Addressing manpower and welfare issues raised alongside the equipment concerns, NAMA disclosed that over 140 Air Traffic Controllers received specialized overseas training in the past year, while 40 ATC cadets graduated from NCAT Zaria and the NAF ATS Training Centre Kaduna.
Another 30 cadets, Musa said, are currently in training while adding that staff concerns on career progression for Grade Level 16 officers, post-license allowances, claims, stress, and fatigue are under active review with the supervising ministry.
NAMA reiterated that safety remains its core mandate and urged the public and airspace users to disregard “inaccurate and misleading” reports, assuring that ongoing upgrades, ADS-B deployment, and capacity building align with global best practices to guarantee uninterrupted and efficient air navigation services.
