Aviation Unions Push NAMA Privatisation To Modernise Air Navigation
By Stella Enenche, Abuja
Aviation unions under the Joint Action Committee (JAC) at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) have called on the Federal Government to commercialise or privatise the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), saying the reform is critical to modernising the country’s air navigation infrastructure and improving aviation safety.
The unions argued that NAMA’s continued dependence on government funding has slowed the acquisition of modern air navigation technologies and limited its ability to meet global aviation standards.
In a joint statement signed on Wednesday by the branch secretaries of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), the committee said a commercially driven NAMA would have greater access to private capital needed to finance critical infrastructure.
The statement was signed by Obasi Ugwumba (ATSSSAN), Salami Adeniyi (ANAP), Omaga Joshua (NUATE) and Celestine Chukwu (NAAPE).
According to the unions, commercialisation or privatisation would enable NAMA to raise funds through private equity, international bonds and capital markets to deploy next-generation air navigation systems, including satellite-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology and modern backup facilities.
They said reliance on annual budgetary allocations, changing political priorities and bureaucratic approval processes had delayed vital safety upgrades and infrastructure expansion.
“A commercially structured NAMA will be financially sustainable and able to make faster operational decisions based on safety and efficiency rather than government budget cycles,” the committee said.
The unions cited international examples such as Nav Canada, NATS Holdings in the United Kingdom and Airways New Zealand, noting that these air navigation service providers operate successfully under user-pays models that support continuous investment in technology and service delivery.
The committee also listed NAMA’s major revenue sources, including en-route and overflight charges, its statutory share of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC), charter flight services, air traffic services at public and private airports, aeronautical telecommunications, calibration services, obstacle evaluation, aeronautical information sales and Hajj operations.
However, the unions raised concerns over what they described as insufficient transparency in revenue generated from airspace violation fines and extension of service hour charges, urging the agency to improve public disclosure to strengthen confidence in its financial management.
The committee also faulted NAMA’s proposal before the National Assembly seeking an increase of between 23 and 40 per cent in the Ticket Sales Charge, insisting that the agency should prioritise operational efficiency and improved financial accountability instead of increasing charges on the aviation industry.
The unions stressed that any commercialisation or privatisation model must preserve the NCAA’s independence as the nation’s aviation safety regulator, with responsibility for oversight, certification, audits and enforcement in accordance with the Civil Aviation Act and the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
They proposed either full privatisation or a carefully designed Public-Private Partnership (PPP) that would transform NAMA into an independent corporation with private sector participation, clear performance targets and safeguards for national security, while retaining effective government regulation.
The committee warned that retaining the existing structure could leave Nigeria lagging behind global aviation standards due to ageing infrastructure, inadequate funding and operational inefficiencies.
It urged the Federal Government to implement reforms that would strengthen the country’s airspace management system and ensure greater efficiency, safety and long-term sustainability.
