Nigerian aviation unions push for NAMA privatisation to rescue aging airspace infrastructure

Omeiza Bilal

In a major policy shift, labor leaders within Nigeria’s aviation sector are demanding a complete overhaul of how the country’s airspace is managed, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) has called on the federal government to privatise or commercialise the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

JAC comprises all unions in the aviation sector.

The unions argue that pulling NAMA out of the bureaucratic web of civil service funding is the only realistic way to modernize Nigeria’s air navigation systems and guarantee long-term flight safety.

Breaking the chains of government funding

According to a joint statement released by the branch secretaries of four major industry unions—ATSSSAN (Obasi Ugwumba), ANAP (Salami J. Adeniyi), NUATE (Omaga Joshua), and NAAPE (Celestine N. Chukwu)—NAMA’s heavy reliance on annual government budget allocations has crippled its ability to keep pace with global technological advancements.

The aviation workers pointed out that shifting political priorities and red tape consistently delay vital safety upgrades. By transitioning to a commercially driven entity or a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), NAMA would gain direct access to: Private equity and capital markets; International bond issues; and Alternative private financing mechanisms

These financial avenues would allow the agency to rapidly fund next-generation navigation systems, such as satellite-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology, alongside resilient backup infrastructure.

Global blueprints and local revenue concerns

The JAC pointed to successful global models like Nav Canada, NATS Holdings (UK), and Airways New Zealand as proof that air navigation service providers thrive under a “user-pays” system, which ensures continuous technical upgrades and financial self-sufficiency.

While the unions acknowledged that NAMA already has substantial revenue streams—including overflight charges, en-route fees, a 5% share of the Ticket Sales Charge (TSC), and private airport traffic services—they raised serious red flags regarding financial accountability. Specifically, the committee called for immediate transparency and public disclosure regarding income generated from airspace violation fines and service hour extensions, areas they claim are currently shrouded in secrecy.

Regulatory independence must remain

While advocating for private sector efficiency, the unions made it clear that safety oversight must never be compromised. Any privatization or PPP framework must strictly preserve the NCAA’s absolute independence as the country’s top safety regulator. Under their proposed model, the NCAA would retain full authority over audits, enforcement, and compliance, keeping Nigeria closely aligned with the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The unions warned that maintaining the status quo is no longer a viable option. Without a swift pivot toward commercial independence and measurable performance targets, Nigeria risks falling dangerously behind global aviation safety benchmarks due to operational inefficiencies and decaying infrastructure.