NAMA Risks Facility Deterioration Over 50% Cut In Revenue

Source: New Telegraph
Author: Wole Shadare, New Telegraph-Admin

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) may have found itself in serious problems following a 50 per cent deduction from its internally generated revenue, which affected the provision of critical navigational equipment for many of the country's airports.

NAMA is entrusted with the critical responsibility of ensuring the safe conduct of flights within Nigeria's airspace, including the Gulf of Guinea. This reduction, according to the Managing Director of the agency, Farouk Umar, has severely impacted its revenue, cutting it by more than half at a time the need for infrastructural and personnel development is growing.

According to him, the safety of the country's airspace is paramount, adding that the current financial model is unsustainable. He said: "The 50 per cent revenue deduction hinders our ability to maintain and upgrade critical infrastructure, such as our obsolete surveillance systems, which are over a decade old and urgently need replacement.

Without adequate funding, we cannot meet the high costs of procuring and maintaining essential equipment or ensuring the continuous training of our technical staff, which is vital for maintaining safety standards. "It is crucial to understand that NAMA operates on the principle of cost recovery, as ICAO recommends.

This means all charges are solely meant for the recovery of equipment and other costs incurred in service provision." The current revenues sharing formula, according to him, allocates only 22 per cent of the five per cent airfare, contract, charter, and cargo sales charges to NAMA, despite its significant capital investment needs, noting that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) with fewer responsibilities as it stands currently is allocated 56 per cent while NAMA with all its responsibilities, gets 22 per cent.

This formula, Umar reiterated, was skewed against NAMA despite the huge capital requirement of its investment, jeopardizing its ability to meet national and international obligations. "Restoring the full revenue allocation to NAMA is quite essential.

Doing so will enable us to address the critical needs of our infrastructure, enhance operational efficiency, and ensure the continuous training of our safety-critical personnel. With adequate funding, we can fulfil our mandate to provide safe and reliable air navigation services across Nigeria's airspace," he said.

By reversing the 50 per cent revenue deduction, "we can significantly enhance air safety, ensuring that Nigeria's skies remain safe and maintain high safety standards. We urge all stakeholders to support this necessary change for the future of our aviation sector and the safety of the flying public.

"At this junction, I find it expedient to remind our political leaders that the entire aviation system is about safety as it remains sacrosanct because there is no parking space in the sky. Safety procedures and protocols must be prepared and strictly adhered to while on the ground," he added.