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The Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers’ Association (NATCA) has said it may be forced to withdraw its services across the country’s airports if the Federal Government and aviation authorities fail to present a clear strategic plan for the total overhaul of the country’s air traffic communication and surveillance infrastructure.
Speaking at the 55th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the association at in Lagos on Tuesday with theme, “Beyond Silos to Synergy: Shaping the Future of Nigerian Air Traffic Management,” NATCA President, Edino Amos, expressed frustration that despite numerous procurement announcements and regulatory approvals by the government, controllers on the frontlines continue to operate with inadequate equipment.
”Despite the considerable challenges faced by ATCOs across the length and breadth of the country, there has been no significant improvement in our communication and surveillance infrastructure.
”We acknowledge the approvals and procurement milestones that have been announced. However, these have yet to translate into a material improvement in the equipment available to controllers at the console.
“It is with a deep sense of responsibility that I state that this frustrating engagement is pushing the Association towards considering the withdrawal of our services, should there be no clear strategic plan for the total overhaul of communication and surveillance infrastructure in Nigeria,” he warned, clarifying that the call was made not as a threat, but as “patriots who sit daily before screens and failing frequencies to keep this country safe,” he stated.
Amos said that air traffic management relies heavily on seamless coordination among communication, navigation, surveillance, meteorology, airport operations, and regulation.
”When these parts operate in isolation, the consequences are felt most acutely by the controller at the console: when a frequency fails, when harmattan conditions disrupt operations at Kano and Abuja, or when surveillance is lost along the Lagos–Abuja corridor,” Amos noted.
NATCA emphasised that a comprehensive overhaul of safety-critical communication and surveillance assets would dramatically improve airspace safety, reduce economic waste for airlines, boost government revenue by attracting more flights, strengthen national security, and elevate Nigeria’s global aviation safety ratings.
To achieve long-term funding stability, the association confirmed it has submitted a memorandum to the National Assembly advocating for predictable, ring-fenced aviation funding reforms, alongside engagements with the National Counter Terrorism Centre, the Office of the National Security Adviser, and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).
Despite infrastructural constraints, NATCA reported significant progress in human capacity development and global representation. More than 100 student controllers are currently undergoing training at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, and the Nigerian Air Force Air Traffic Services Training Centre.
Additionally, through a strategic Memorandum of Understanding with United ATS, Cairo, 60 controllers were trained in Fatigue Risk Management in 2025—a initiative that contributed to Nigeria achieving a 91.45 percent Effective Implementation score during the ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission in April 2026. Another batch of 60 controllers is receiving Air Traffic Flow Management training during the Lagos AGM, with further partnerships being finalized with Jordan Aviation College and ATOM, Dubai.
Amos added that NATCA is working toward gaining certification as an Approved Training Organisation (ATO) in its own right to boost aviation manpower development regionally.
On the international stage, Nigerian controllers secured key leadership roles at the 37th IFATCA Africa and Middle East Regional Meeting in Amman, Jordan, where Mallam Ahmad Abba was re-elected as Executive Vice President for the region, and Mr. Shettima Babazau was elected Regional Vice President for West Africa.
Turning to welfare concerns, the NATCA President stated that skyrocketing inflation has largely eroded the basic salary review previously implemented by NAMA management.
Amos urged the minister of aviation and NAMA leadership to urgently address the stagnant career progression of senior controllers, some of whom have remained on a single grade level for up to 14 years without promotion.
“Nothing can be more frustrating than giving one’s best and bowing out with nothing,” he remarked.
The association also called for an urgent review of the ATC Aeromedical Allowance, the Rating Allowance, and the retention of experienced controllers in service until age 65 (or their re-engagement under equitable contractual terms) to prevent a sudden loss of institutional knowledge.
Highlighting internal infrastructure achievements, NATCA announced the completion and commissioning of its Secretariat and Guest House in Port Harcourt in less than six months, resolving a project that had been stalled for 29 years.
The facility will provide transit accommodation to mitigate controller fatigue and serve as a secondary training base, with plans to replicate similar projects at major airports nationwide.
Amos called for unity across NAMA management, engineers, regulators, and the National Assembly, stressing that the future of Nigerian aviation hinges on breaking down operational silos to achieve true synergy.
