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By Chinelo Obogo
Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has formally signed contractual documents for the construction of its new corporate headquarters and Air Traffic Management (ATM) Centre in Abuja.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Abuja, the Managing Director, Umar Farouk, described the project as a strategic and forward-looking investment designed to position Nigeria’s airspace management system at par with global best practices.
According to him, the new facility will serve a dual purpose by housing NAMA’s corporate headquarters and accommodating a centralised ATM Centre. He explained that the development represents a major operational shift, as it will consolidate airspace control functions that were previously decentralised. He said: “What this structure represents is far more than office space. It will house the Air Traffic Management Centre that brings under one roof what used to be the Kano Area Control Centre (ACC) and the Lagos Area Control Centre (ACC). From this single facility, air traffic across the entire Nigerian airspace will be managed and coordinated.”
He noted that the consolidation of air traffic control operations into one integrated national center will significantly enhance operational efficiency, improve safety oversight, and strengthen Nigeria’s compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices. Farouk stressed that the facility will house critical and sensitive operational infrastructure, making quality, safety, and durability paramount. He therefore charged the project contractor to ensure strict adherence to structural integrity, engineering excellence, and globally accepted construction standards.
“This is a mission-critical facility that will support the safety of our skies and the efficiency of air navigation services nationwide. There will be no compromise on quality. Management will closely monitor every stage of execution to ensure value for money, transparency, and long-term sustainability,” he said.
Farouk thanked the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo for facilitating the Federal Executive Council’s (FEC) approval that made the project possible.
