The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of unions at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has advocated the commercialisation or privatisation of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), saying the move is necessary to modernise Nigeria’s air navigation infrastructure, strengthen operational efficiency, and enhance aviation safety.
The joint statement was signed by the branch secretaries of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), and Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP).
The statement was jointly signed by ATSSSAN Branch Secretary, Obasi Ugwumba; ANAP Branch Secretary, Salami J. Adeniyi; NUATE Branch Secretary, Omaga Joshua; and NAAPE Branch Secretary, Celestine N. Chukwu. NAMA’s current dependence on government funding has slowed the deployment of critical technologies needed to meet global aviation standards.
They maintained that commercialising or privatising NAMA would enable the agency to access private equity, international bonds, capital markets and other private financing options required to invest in next-generation air navigation systems, including satellite-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology and modern backup infrastructure.
According to the committee, reliance on annual government budget allocations, shifting political priorities and bureaucratic processes has delayed critical safety upgrades and infrastructure development.
The workers said a commercially driven NAMA would become more financially sustainable by generating funds through the capital market while making faster operational decisions based on safety and efficiency rather than budget cycles.
They noted successful international models such as Nav Canada, NATS Holdings in the United Kingdom and Airways New Zealand, noting that these air navigation service providers operate efficiently under user-pays systems that support continuous technological advancement and financial stability.
