The President of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Dr. Alexander Nwuba, has decried the poor treatment flight dispatchers in the nation’s aviation industry, warning that continued neglect of the profession poses a serious threat to safety.
He was speaking at the Flight Dispatchers Association of Nigeria (FLIDAN) Annual Conference held at the NCAA Annex Training Hall in Lagos, described flight dispatchers as the unseen professionals who make the first and often the most critical safety decision before every flight takes off.
Nwuba who was represented by the General Secretary of the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), Mr. Olumide Ohunayo, delivered a paper titled “Safety and Efficiency: The Flight Dispatcher’s Role”, in which he stressed that dispatchers share operational control with pilots and should no longer be treated as mere administrative staff.
“The dispatch release is not paperwork. It is the first safety decision of every flight”, he said, explaining that a flight cannot legally depart if a dispatcher refuses to release it, regardless of the pilot’s readiness.
According to him, dispatchers remain responsible throughout the flight, monitoring weather conditions, fuel status, airport closures and other operational changes while providing critical support from the ground.
Despite their pivotal role, Nwuba lamented that many airlines in Nigeria continue to undervalue dispatchers, reducing them to clerical roles instead of recognising them as licensed aviation safety professionals.
He revealed that although Nigeria has about 1,500 licensed flight dispatchers, fewer than 500 are currently employed, leaving nearly two-thirds of the country’s trained operational control workforce without jobs.
He noted that many dispatchers are forced out of the profession as their licences expire after years of unemployment, describing the situation as a significant waste of skilled manpower.
Nwuba also highlighted several challenges confronting practising dispatchers, including excessive working hours, poor remuneration, lack of type ratings on licences, absence of mandatory professional logbooks and inadequate welfare.
He warned that dispatchers frequently work beyond the 10-hour duty limits prescribed by aviation regulations, saying fatigue in an operations control centre poses risks comparable to fatigue in the cockpit.
“An industry that undervalues its dispatchers is an industry that misunderstands its own safety system”, he declared.
To address the situation, the AOPA President called for stricter enforcement of duty-time regulations, improved salaries and medical coverage, the restoration of aircraft type ratings on dispatcher licences, mandatory experience logbooks and greater inclusion of dispatchers in airline Safety Management Systems (SMS) and regulatory consultations.
He also urged the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to strengthen oversight of airlines’ compliance with operational control requirements.
Beyond improving welfare, Nwuba said the profession offers enormous employment opportunities as aviation continues to expand across Nigeria and Africa.
He pointed to the growth of new airlines, charter services, cargo operations and the implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) as developments that would increase demand for qualified dispatchers.
According to him, Nigeria has the potential to become West Africa’s operational control hub by investing in recurrent training, modern flight-planning technology and career development for dispatchers.
He said future opportunities would also emerge in business aviation, remote operations centres, humanitarian and energy sector aviation, as well as unmanned aircraft and advanced air mobility operations.
Reaffirming AOPA’s commitment to the profession, Nwuba pledged continued collaboration with the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative and FLIDAN to push for improved recognition, stronger regulatory protections and better working conditions for flight dispatchers.
He urged dispatchers to remain steadfast in upholding safety standards, reminding them that every dispatch release represents a commitment to the safety of passengers.
“Your signature on a release is a promise to every passenger who boards. This industry may not always see you, but every safe landing is your work made visible”, he said.