Stakeholders in Nigeria’s aviation sector have renewed calls for an urgent upward review of navigational charges by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), warning that outdated tariffs and funding constraints could undermine the safety and efficiency of the nation’s airspace.
NAMA, the agency responsible for providing critical navigational aids that guide aircraft safely from take-off to landing, said it is grappling with serious financial challenges as many of its facilities are overdue for replacement and upgrade.
Despite its central role in guaranteeing seamless navigation for both domestic and foreign airlines, most of NAMA’s equipment are aging and require urgent modernisation. The agency has continued to function largely through the ingenuity of its professionals, even as limited internally generated revenue strains daily operations.
Reliable navigational aids remain the backbone of a safe and secure airspace. However, stakeholders noted that funding challenges, worsened by the federal government’s policy of deducting 50 per cent of revenue at source from aviation agencies have made it difficult for NAMA to replace critical infrastructure and maintain backups.
Industry operators describe the revenue deduction as retrogressive and capable of destabilising the system, insisting that NAMA must be financially empowered to sustain safety standards.
The call for reform is anchored on the fact that NAMA’s navigational charges were last reviewed in 2008, about 18 years ago despite drastic changes in the economic environment. Although plans for a review were expected to take effect from September 1, 2024, stakeholders argued that the old tariff structure is no longer realistic.
President of the National Association of Air Traffic Engineers, Engr. Selzing Miri, expressed concern over NAMA’s financial condition, noting that the agency cannot maintain current safety levels without improved funding.
“We have made it clear that without enough funding, NAMA will not be able to sustain the level of safety being enjoyed in the aviation industry. Most of these facilities are critical to ensuring safe flight movements”, he said.
He added that the agency must purchase, upgrade and maintain navigational facilities, stressing that funding remains central to providing critical aviation infrastructure.
According to him, NAMA may need to adjust its En-Route Navigational Charges (ENC) and Terminal Navigational Charges (TNC), which account for the bulk of its revenue. Both charges have remained static since 2008, giving airlines wide operational latitude over the years.
Available data showed that the unit rate for en-route navigation is proposed to move to N18,000 from N2,000 per flight, while terminal navigation charge (domestic) is projected to increase to N54,000 from N6,000 per flight.
Similarly, extension of hours of service may rise from N50,000 to about N450,000 per extension, reflecting the rising cost of diesel, logistics and personnel deployment.
Miri described the current N50,000 extension fee as unrealistic.
“You run generators, make contingency arrangements for staff and keep people on duty for hours. Airlines easily afford the amount and continue to abuse the privilege”, he said.
He also noted that airlines themselves have increased ticket prices sharply over the years.
“A one-way ticket that sold for about N15,000 five years ago now goes for over N180,000. Airlines operate in the same economic environment as NAMA, so they should understand the need for adjustment”, he added.
President of the National Association of Air Traffic Controllers of Nigeria (NACAN), Alhaji Mohammed Sani, said NAMA urgently requires funds for infrastructure maintenance, staff training and salary payments.
“The only way NAMA can improve on critical safety areas is through better revenue from its services”, Sani stated.
He disclosed that in 2023 alone, NAMA spent over N21 billion on personnel costs, more than N12 billion on capital projects and over N10 billion on overheads, despite receiving no direct federal government allocation.
Under the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) best practices, NAMA operates as a non-profit service provider guided by cost-recovery principles as outlined in ICAO Doc 9082.
The policy recommends that air navigation service providers recover full operational costs covering equipment, personnel, training, depreciation and administration.
ICAO’s policies state that:
“An equitable cost-recovery system could comprise charges based on the allocation of total air navigation services costs incurred on behalf of users”.
President of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Comrade John Ogbe, also backed the review, noting that charges unchanged for over 15 years can no longer sustain the agency.
“The cost of providing services today cannot be the same as it was 15 years ago. Government must look into NAMA’s navigational charges because they are very important for safety”, Ogbe said.
Similarly, President of the Aeronautical Information Management Association of Nigeria, Dr. Ibrahim Audu, said collecting the same charges after 18 years does not reflect the modern technology NAMA now deploys.
“The price of diesel, equipment and logistics is not what it was years ago. NAMA cannot render today’s services with yesterday’s tariffs”, Audu stated, urging the federal government to intervene and strengthen the agency financially.
Stakeholders are insistent that guarding and improving NAMA’s revenue base, with cooperation from airlines, will enhance air traffic management, strengthen safety and improve service delivery across Nigeria’s aviation industry.