The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has called on the National Assembly to intervene in the 50 per cent revenue deduction from its earnings, which it says hinders its ability to meet its statutory responsibilities.
NAMA’s Managing Director, Engr Farouk Umar, made the plea during the House Committee on Aviation’s 4-day retreat in Abuja.
Umar emphasised that modernising Nigeria’s aviation sector requires financial reform and urged the National Assembly (NASS) to ensure full enforcement of Section 9(2) of the NAMA Act 2022, which stipulates that all fees and charges imposed by NAMA should not be subject to deductions or remittance to any other body.
The NAMA boss lamented that the current 50 per cent deduction at source cripples the agency’s capacity to maintain critical infrastructure, pay and train personnel, fund upgrades, and meet international safety standards. He also solicited the Committee’s intervention to implement the Obstruction Evaluation Fees Provision and review air navigation charges, which have remained stagnant since 2008.
The House Committee on Aviation Chairman, Rt. Hon. Abdullahi Garba, expressed the desire to develop actionable plans to enhance aviation safety, improve infrastructure, and reinforce regulatory compliance.
The retreat, themed “Emerging Trends in Global Aviation: Sustainability, Technology, and Digital Transformation,”, aimed to facilitate stakeholder engagement and address challenges in the sector.