Engr.Ahmed Umar Farouk

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency(NAMA) Engr.Umar Ahmed Farouk has stated that the cost of keeping Nigerian airspace safe has  outgrown a formula that does not adequately reflect Agency’s statutory burden.

He  made this known while addressing members of the National Assembly at the Public Hearing on the proposed revision of the Statutory Sharing Formula for the Five Per Cent Ticket,Charter and Cargo Sales Charge and Statutory Mandate for Obstacle Evaluation Charges

According to him,publicly reported figures for 2023 showed approximately ₦21 billion in personnel  expenditure, more than ₦12 billion in capital expenditure and more than ₦10 billion in  overheads, a total cost profile exceeding ₦43 billion.

Umar said these are not abstract numbers.  Behind them are controllers, engineers, communication systems, navigation aids,  surveillance platforms, power systems, spares, software, calibration, training and  facilities spread across our country.

At the same time, he said a navigation charge as low as ₦11,000 per flight had remained  unchanged since June 2008. Consider what has happened to the cost of fuel, electricity,  foreign exchange, imported components, software licences and specialist training since  2008.

“The service has had to absorb today’s costs with yesterday’s tariff base. The  dedication of our workforce has helped bridge that gap, but dedication is not a  substitute for a sustainable funding system.”

“Our surveillance infrastructure also illustrates the urgency. The Total Radar Coverage of  Nigeria system has served the country over many years. Its sites and components now  require a deliberate renewal and transition programme. As equipment ages, spare parts  become harder to obtain and manufacturer support changes.”

“ Responsible  management does not wait for obsolescence to become failure. It plans replacement,  builds redundancy, trains the people who will operate the new system and keeps the  old and new services safely coordinated during transition. “

Umar explained that” in the same vein, NCAA regulates and issues Aviation Height Clearance Certificate and  applicants pay fees for that certification. Yet the aeronautical question is operational:  will a proposed mast, tower, crane or high-rise building interfere with a flight procedure,  minimum altitude, navigation aid, surveillance system or protected airspace?”

He told the law makers thatNAMA  performs this safety-critical technical work but receives no dedicated payment for the  service.

“NAMA has a department that conducts survey and obstacle assessment and maintains  specialised in-house capability in WGS-84 aerodrome and obstacle surveying. Through  the WGS-84 and performance-based navigation services across all Nigerian airports, the  Agency developed aviation survey expertise, digital equipment and GIS capability.”

“As  Nigeria’s sole Air Navigation Service Provider, NAMA is the only federal aviation agency  that connects WGS-84 survey data, obstacle analysis, aeronautical information,  procedure design and the operational management of airspace in one technical chain. “

“NAMA therefore asks for a fair and transparent arrangement. NCAA should retain the  regulatory component of the Aviation Height Clearance. NAMA should be paid obstacle registration, identified technical-services component for WGS-84 survey validation,  obstacle assessment, procedure-impact analysis and field work and such fee should be  remitted directly to NAMA.”

He said in accordance with ICAO’s cost-recovery model, the  revenue is to maintain the equipment, data, software and trained professionals that

make the clearance technically meaningful.

“We are therefore recommending a sharing formula of 90% to 10% in favour of NAMA. “

Speaking further,the NAMA boss noted that  safety is not purchased once. It is preserved  through a cycle: procure, install, test, train, operate, maintain, calibrate, secure, renew.

If any part of that cycle is chronically under funded,he continued, the weakness accumulates quietly.  The system may continue to function because professionals improvise and procedural  safeguards are applied, but the margin of resilience becomes thinner. Parliament has  the opportunity to act before that margin is tested.

“ global aviation system is also changing. Air navigation is becoming more digital,  more interconnected and more exposed to cyber risk. Performance-based navigation,  digital aeronautical information, satellite-enabled surveillance and integrated flight data systems promise better capacity and efficiency, but they require investment, data  quality, new skills and strong cyber defences. Nigeria should not merely maintain the  airspace of yesterday; it must build the airspace that tomorrow’s traffic will require. “

“A properly funded NAMA produces benefits far beyond the Agency. Reliable  communication and surveillance permit efficient separation. Modern procedures can  shorten routes and approaches. Better availability reduces disruption. Stronger systems  support airlines, airports, passengers, trade, tourism and national security coordination.  An aircraft that moves safely and efficiently through Nigerian airspace is an economic  activity enabled by invisible infrastructure. “

He noted further that NAMA is not asking the National Assembly for a blank cheque,insisting that NAMA supports accountability equal to the responsibility we seek.

“It supports automated collection and  remittance, quarterly disclosure of receipts and projects, annual independent audit,  transparent procurement and measurable performance indicators. We are prepared to  report what was received, what it purchased, which milestone was achieved and what  improvement the user obtained.”

“NAMA also asks that the statutes be harmonised. The Civil Aviation Act presently states  22 per cent for NAMA, while the NAMA Act refers to 23 per cent in its Fund provisions.  The law should speak with one voice. The beneficiaries should be named correctly; the  percentages should total 100 per cent; collection and remittance responsibilities should  be unambiguous; and the effective date should be clear.”

“Our position is that the solution  should be built around audited cost, mandate and risk, not around the preservation  of historical percentages for their own sake. A regulator and an Air Navigation Service  Provider are both indispensable, but their cost structures are not identical. The law  should recognise those differences while ensuring that every safety institution remains  viable.”

“  I respectfully pray the National Assembly to approve a 56 per cent allocation to NAMA  from the existing five per cent pool; harmonise the affected enactments; recognise  obstacle assessment and WGS-84 aeronautical survey as chargeable NAMA technical  services; establish transparent, automated remittance; and pair the enhanced  allocation with firm accountability and oversight. “