At the recent four-day retreat of the House Committee on Aviation in Nigeria, Engr. Farouk Umar, Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), delivered a critical appeal to the National Assembly. He urged lawmakers to immediately abolish the existing 50 percent revenue deduction from the agency's earnings, a policy he argues is severely hindering Nigeria's ambitious aviation goals and its aspirations to lead sub-Saharan Africa's aviation sector.

Umar highlighted that this deduction directly contravenes Section 9(2) of the NAMA Act 2022, which explicitly states that all fees and charges collected by the agency are exempt from external deductions. He emphasized the clear legal mandate that is being undermined by the ongoing financial constraints. The NAMA MD cautioned that the continuous enforcement of this 50 percent levy significantly erodes the agency’s capacity to adequately maintain vital air traffic control towers, sophisticated radar systems, and extensive communications networks. These crucial assets are fundamental not only for ensuring safe and efficient airspace management within Nigeria but also for the wider region that relies on Nigerian airspace as an essential aviation corridor.

The far-reaching implications of this revenue deduction extend to NAMA's ability to invest in next-generation technologies. Umar pointed out that it impedes the agency’s adoption of cutting-edge solutions like performance-based navigation and satellite-based augmentation systems, technologies highly recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Such investments are indispensable for modernizing airspace infrastructure, enhancing safety protocols, and ensuring that Nigeria keeps pace with evolving global aviation standards. Failure to do so, he argued, directly impacts the confidence of international carriers and partners considering routes to and through the African continent.

Umar further stressed that the revenue deduction directly violates NAMA’s statutory mandate by restricting the necessary funds for critical infrastructure development, ongoing maintenance, and essential staff training and development. He depicted an agency trapped