Flight Disruptions Loom As Air Traffic Controllers Threaten Shutdown Over Ageing Infrastructure

Flight disruptions may loom across Nigerian airports as the Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers’ Association (NATCA) has threatened to withdraw its operational services over the persistent failure of critical communication and surveillance infrastructure.

The association warned that it could be forced to take the drastic step if the Federal Government and aviation authorities fail to present a clear strategic plan for the comprehensive overhaul of the country’s ageing air traffic management systems.

Speaking at NATCA’s 55th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on Tuesday, at Ikeja, Lagos, the association’s President, Edino Ilemona Amos, expressed frustration that despite several procurement announcements and regulatory approvals by the government, there had been no significant improvement in the equipment available to air traffic controllers.

Amos said controllers continued to work under difficult conditions, with inadequate communication and surveillance facilities undermining their ability to discharge their safety-critical responsibilities effectively.

“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,” Amos stated.

“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.”

He warned that the persistent deterioration of critical infrastructure had pushed the association to the point of considering withdrawing its services if the government failed to demonstrate a commitment to addressing the challenges.

“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.

Amos, however, clarified that the position was not intended as a threat but reflected the concerns of professionals responsible for maintaining safety in the country’s airspace.

He described the situation as particularly troubling because controllers were expected to guarantee safe aircraft movements despite working with unreliable communication frequencies and inadequate surveillance equipment.

Addressing delegates under the conference theme, “Beyond Silos to Synergy: Shaping the Future of Nigerian Air Traffic Management,” the NATCA president also called for stronger coordination among critical agencies and stakeholders in the aviation industry.

He explained that effective air traffic management depended on seamless collaboration among communication, navigation, surveillance, meteorology, airport operations and regulatory systems.

According to him, operating these critical components in isolation exposes controllers to operational difficulties that could undermine aviation safety.

“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.

The association maintained that a comprehensive overhaul of safety-critical communication and surveillance infrastructure would improve airspace safety, reduce operational and economic losses for airlines, increase government revenue through additional flight movements, strengthen national security and improve Nigeria’s international aviation safety ratings.

To address the funding challenges confronting the sector, NATCA disclosed that it had submitted a memorandum to the National Assembly advocating predictable and ring-fenced funding for aviation infrastructure.

The association also confirmed engagements with the National Counter Terrorism Centre, the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) on issues affecting air traffic management and national security.

Despite the infrastructure challenges, NATCA reported progress in manpower development, disclosing that more than 100 student controllers were undergoing training at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, and the Nigerian Air Force Air Traffic Services Training Centre.

It also said 60 controllers were trained in Fatigue Risk Management in 2025 through a strategic Memorandum of Understanding with United ATS, Cairo.

The initiative, according to Amos, contributed to Nigeria recording a 91.45 per cent Effective Implementation score during the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Coordinated Validation Mission in April 2026.

Another batch of 60 controllers is currently receiving Air Traffic Flow Management training during the Lagos AGM, while further training partnerships are being finalised with Jordan Aviation College and ATOM, Dubai.

Amos added that the association was working towards securing certification as an Approved Training Organisation (ATO) to expand its contribution to aviation manpower development in Nigeria and the wider African region.

On the international front, Nigerian air traffic controllers secured leadership positions at the 37th International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations (IFATCA) Africa and Middle East Regional Meeting in Amman, Jordan.

Mallam Ahmad Abba was re-elected Executive Vice President for the region, while Shettima Babazau emerged as Regional Vice President for West Africa.

The NATCA president, however, raised concerns over the welfare and career progression of serving controllers, noting that rising inflation had eroded the benefits of the basic salary review previously implemented by NAMA management.

He urged the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development and NAMA leadership to urgently address the stagnation of senior controllers, some of whom, he said, had remained on the same grade level for as long as 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 a review of the Air Traffic Controllers’ Aeromedical Allowance and Rating Allowance, as well as the retention of experienced controllers in service until the age of 65 or their re-engagement under equitable contractual arrangements.

It said the measures would help prevent a sudden loss of experienced personnel and preserve institutional knowledge within the air traffic management system.

Meanwhile, NATCA announced the completion and commissioning of its Secretariat and Guest House in Port Harcourt within six months, bringing to an end a project that had remained stalled for 29 years.

The facility is expected to provide transit accommodation for controllers to reduce fatigue and serve as an additional training base, with the association planning to replicate the initiative at major airports across the country.

Amos called for greater collaboration among NAMA management, engineers, regulators and the National Assembly, stressing that the future of Nigerian aviation depended on coordinated efforts to address infrastructure gaps and improve operational efficiency.