Aviation Unions Back Commercialisation, Privatisation Of NAMA To Modernise Air Navigation

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of unions at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has called for the commercialisation or privatisation of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), arguing that the move is necessary to modernise Nigeria’s air navigation infrastructure and improve aviation safety.

In a joint statement signed by the branch secretaries of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), and Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), the committee said NAMA’s current dependence on government funding has slowed the deployment of critical technologies needed to meet global aviation standards.

The statement was jointly signed by ATSSSAN Branch Secretary, Obasi Ugwumba; ANAP Branch Secretary, Salami J. Adeniyi; NUATE Branch Secretary, Omaga Joshua; and NAAPE Branch Secretary, Celestine N. Chukwu.

The unions maintained that commercialising or privatising NAMA would enable the agency to access private equity, international bonds, capital markets and other private financing options required to invest in next-generation air navigation systems, including satellite-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology and modern backup infrastructure.

According to the committee, reliance on annual government budget allocations, shifting political priorities and bureaucratic processes has delayed critical safety upgrades and infrastructure development.

The workers said a commercially driven NAMA would become more financially sustainable by generating funds through the capital market while making faster operational decisions based on safety and efficiency rather than budget cycles.

The union pointed to successful international models such as Nav Canada, NATS Holdings in the United Kingdom and Airways New Zealand, noting that these air navigation service providers operate efficiently under user-pays systems that support continuous technological advancement and financial stability.

The unions also highlighted NAMA’s major revenue sources, including en-route charges, overflight charges, its statutory share of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC), and non-navigational charges, alongside other earnings from charter flight services, air traffic services at private and state-owned airports, aeronautical telecommunications, calibration services, obstacle evaluation, aeronautical information sales and special Hajj operations.

However, the union expressed concern over what they described as inadequate transparency regarding revenue generated from airspace violation fines and extension of service hour charges, calling for greater public disclosure to strengthen public confidence in the agency’s financial reporting.

The committee also criticised NAMA’s proposal before the National Assembly seeking an increase of between 23 and 40 per cent in the Ticket Sales Charge, arguing that the agency should instead focus on improving operational efficiency and financial accountability.

Emphasising the importance of institutional independence, the unions said any commercialisation or privatisation model should preserve the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority’s role as an independent safety regulator responsible for oversight, audits and enforcement in line with the Civil Aviation Act and the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

They proposed either full privatisation or a carefully structured Public-Private Partnership (PPP) that would transform NAMA into an independent corporation with private sector participation, measurable performance targets and safeguards for national security while retaining effective government regulation.

According to the committee, maintaining the current structure risks leaving Nigeria behind global aviation standards due to ageing infrastructure, inadequate funding and operational inefficiencies.

They urged the federal government to embrace reforms that would position Nigeria’s airspace management system for greater efficiency, safety and long-term sustainability.