By Peace Udugba
The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has recorded significant operational achievements in the first half of 2026, reinforcing its role as Nigeria’s Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) through sustained air safety, infrastructure upgrades, and workforce development despite persistent funding and technological challenges.
Under the leadership of the Managing Director/Chief Executive, Engr. Farouk Ahmed Umar, the agency entered 2026 with the responsibility of maintaining safe, efficient, and reliable air navigation services amid rising aircraft movements, aging infrastructure, funding constraints, and increasing demands for technological modernisation.
As the nation’s provider of air navigation services, NAMA remained central to the safety and efficiency of Nigeria’s aviation sector during the review period.
According to the agency’s mid-year assessment, NAMA maintained uninterrupted air traffic management services across Nigeria’s Flight Information Region (FIR), ensuring safe aircraft separation and the orderly movement of both domestic and international flights.
Despite increased air traffic on major routes, including Lagos-Abuja, Lagos-Port Harcourt, and Lagos-Kano, there were no major air traffic management failures attributed to the agency during the first half of the year.
The achievement reflects the resilience of Nigeria’s air navigation system and the professionalism of the agency’s air traffic controllers, engineers, and technical personnel.
NAMA also sustained the calibration and maintenance of navigational aids, communication facilities, and surveillance equipment to ensure continued compliance with international aviation standards.
The agency continued to prioritise the modernisation of its Communications, Navigation and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) infrastructure.
Although significant investment is still required to replace aging facilities across the country, rehabilitation and upgrading of critical navigation equipment continued to improve service reliability and operational safety.
Staff welfare also featured prominently in the agency’s performance during the review period. Recognising that operational excellence depends largely on the expertise of its workforce, the management intensified efforts to improve working conditions, strengthen capacity development, and enhance employee motivation.
Having risen through the ranks of the aviation industry, Engr. Umar has placed emphasis on supporting air traffic controllers, engineers, technicians, and other operational personnel whose expertise remains critical to maintaining safety standards.
During the first six months of 2026, the agency sustained investments in professional training programmes, particularly for technical personnel, to ensure compliance with evolving global aviation standards and emerging technologies.
Industry stakeholders, however, have continued to advocate increased investment in modern surveillance systems, communication networks, cybersecurity infrastructure, backup power systems, and calibration capabilities to enable Nigeria’s air navigation services to keep pace with global developments.
Stakeholders have also renewed calls for a review of the sharing formula for the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge, arguing that NAMA’s current allocation is insufficient for an agency responsible for maintaining highly sophisticated and technology-driven infrastructure essential to aviation safety.
According to aviation experts, increased funding would accelerate the modernisation of navigation facilities, expand surveillance coverage, strengthen system redundancy, improve cybersecurity, and support staff training and retention.
Looking ahead, observers believe the second half of 2026 presents an opportunity for NAMA to consolidate its achievements by accelerating technology upgrades, improving operational resilience, and expanding surveillance capabilities. They maintain that addressing funding challenges would better position the agency to support Nigeria’s ambition of becoming West Africa’s leading aviation hub.
Overall, NAMA’s mid-year performance reflects sustained operational resilience, adherence to safety standards, and continued investment in technical capacity despite financial and technological constraints. Industry observers note that the agency’s long-term success will depend on accelerated infrastructure modernisation, sustainable funding mechanisms, and continued investment in human capital.
