Insecurity, Political Activities Increase Demand For Air Travel – NAMA

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), yesterday, said that insecurity, expansion of the economy and the upsurge in political activities in Nigeria have increased demands for air travel in Nigeria.

Speaking during the 2022 Airspace Managers’ Forum, the acting managing director of NAMA, Matthew Pwajok said it had become imperative that Airspace Managers at the nation’s airports are kept abreast of global trends in airspace management.

According to him, there is an increased demand for air travel, hence the need for strategic air traffic management that would ensure seamlessness in operations.

Pwajok said with the increased pressure on the aviation industry at the global, regional and national level following the growth in passengers and cargo, there was the need for the agency to grow capacity to be able to cope with the increasing traffic.

The MD, however, cautioned managers at airports with limited hours of operations not to turn down requests for extension of services, saying “especially at this period of electioneering as this could be given political colouration,” saying that “the minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika sees aviation as a support role to every sector and to everybody, irrespective of political leaning.”

Pwajok said it had become imperative that Airspace Managers at the nation’s airports are kept abreast of global trends in airspace management “as aviation is global, there is no Nigerian aviation standard.

ing in isolation and so we are maintaining international standards. We are benchmarking and implementing the International Civil Aviation (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), he said.”

Pwajok noted that the training would expose managers to Global Air Navigation Plan, Regional Air Navigation Plan and National Air Navigation Plan just as it would keep them acquainted with the Civil Aviation Policy which is the framework that guides operations nationally. According to him, “you must also be kept abreast of the Aviation Roadmap or Masterplan of the Federal Government; our Communication, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) Masterplan and the milestones towards attaining these masterplans because these are frameworks within which we are expected to operate in carrying out our statutory function as the nation’s airspace manager.”

The NAMA helmsman also canvassed for the support and buy-in of managers with respect to the aviation roadmap being implemented by the minister, which he said would enhance the growth of the industry.

According to him, airports the world over are best handled by experts who run them as a business and not the government, adding that “concessioning of airports in Nigeria would attract direct foreign investment necessary for export expansion, development of aerotropolis, airport cities, cargo terminals as well as Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) operations.”