The Managing Director of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Farouk Ahmed Umar, has appealed to the Federal Government to allow the agency more access to Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) so as to enhance its operations.
Umar, who spoke at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja, said NAMA, as the heart of the aviation industry is tasked with the critical responsibility of ensuring the safe conduct of flights within Nigeria’s airspace, including the Gulf of Guinea.
To fulfill this mandate, Umar said, NAMA maintains advanced safety-critical equipment, recruits and trains personnel to meet national and international safety standards as outlined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), adding that despite these efforts, NAMA faces significant financial constraints due to the implementation of the 50 per cent revenue deduction, which has impacted the agency’s revenue, cutting it by more than half at a time when the need for infrastructural and personnel development are on the increase.
Umar said: “The safety of our airspace is paramount, and the current financial model is unsustainable. 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 needed 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 recommended by ICAO. This means all charges are solely meant to recover the costs incurred in service provision.
“The current practice and net estimate of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) are insufficient to cover the recurrent and capital expenditures of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA),” saying “this shortfall poses a significant risk to air safety.”
He said according to global best practices, “Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) should operate solely on a cost-recovery basis. In the interest of safety, ANSPs worldwide are designed to be safety-focused organizations rather than profit-oriented ventures.”
6 total views , 1 views today