Aviation Unions Urge Federal Govt To Commercialise NAMA

A coalition of aviation unions has called on the Federal Government to immediately commercialise the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), arguing that the move is critical to modernising Nigeria’s air navigation infrastructure, improving operational efficiency, and ensuring long-term financial sustainability.

The appeal was contained in a joint statement signed by the Branch Secretaries of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE).

The unions said NAMA’s continued dependence on government budgetary allocations has constrained its ability to deploy modern air navigation technologies and execute critical infrastructure upgrades.

According to them, “Commercialising or privatising NAMA is both timely and necessary. It would unlock access to private equity, private financing, international bonds and capital markets, providing the substantial funding required to rapidly deploy next-generation technologies such as satellite-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) systems and modern backup infrastructure.”

The unions noted that reliance on annual government budgets, shifting political priorities and bureaucratic bottlenecks has delayed essential safety upgrades, warning that the current funding model is no longer sustainable.

They added, “Commercialising NAMA would position the agency as a self-sustaining organisation capable of attracting long-term investment while making operational decisions based on efficiency and safety rather than budget cycles.”

The labour groups pointed to successful international models, citing air navigation service providers such as Nav Canada, NATS Holdings in the United Kingdom and Airways New Zealand, which operate under commercial frameworks supported by user charges.

According to the unions, these organisations have demonstrated that aligning operating costs with revenue generation promotes financial stability, technological advancement and operational excellence.

While acknowledging NAMA’s multiple revenue sources, including en-route charges, overflight fees, Ticket Sales Charges (TSC) and aeronautical service charges, the unions called for greater transparency in the agency’s financial reporting.

“We believe greater public disclosure of revenues generated from airspace violation fines and Extension of Service Hours charges will strengthen public confidence in the agency’s financial management,” they said.

The unions also questioned NAMA’s push for a proposed 23 to 40 per cent increase in the Ticket Sales Charge currently before the National Assembly, insisting that improving operational efficiency and broadening access to private capital should take precedence over increasing charges on passengers.

They further stressed that any commercialisation model must preserve the independence of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) as the industry’s safety regulator.

“Aviation safety thrives on clear institutional boundaries. While NAMA should focus exclusively on the efficient and safe management of Nigeria’s airspace, the NCAA must remain an independent regulator responsible for safety oversight, audits and enforcement in line with the Civil Aviation Act and the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Standards and Recommended Practices,” the statement read.

The unions proposed either full commercialisation, 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 adequate safeguards for national security.

Warning against maintaining the status quo, they said obsolete systems, persistent funding shortages and operational inefficiencies could leave Nigeria behind global aviation standards.

“Nigeria’s airspace deserves world-class management. It is time to harness private sector innovation and investment to deliver safer skies, modern infrastructure, financial sustainability and operational excellence for the benefit of the nation’s aviation industry,” the unions stated.