Workers of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency have appealed to the National Assembly to ensure that the Federal Government increases the agency’s share of the Ticket Service Charge to 40 per cent, arguing that adequate funding is essential to safeguard Nigeria’s airspace and ensure the safety of millions of air travellers.
The demand came as the agency’s in-house unions also rejected calls for the privatisation or commercialisation of NAMA, insisting that Nigeria’s airspace is a sovereign national asset that must remain under government control because of its strategic security and safety implications.
A bill before the National Assembly seeking to review the Ticket Sales Charge sharing formula has sparked controversy across the aviation industry, with NAMA’s management and staff arguing that their expanding responsibilities make an increase in the agency’s share of the TSC imperative.
The workers, through unions—the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, made their position known in a joint statement issued on Monday.
They were reacting to a recent recommendation by the Joint Action Committee of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, which urged the Federal Government to privatise or commercialise NAMA.
While dismissing the proposal, the unions argued that the debate should instead focus on strengthening the country’s air navigation system through improved funding, beginning with a review of the current TSC sharing formula.
According to the workers, increasing NAMA’s allocation to 40 per cent is not a struggle for revenue but a critical investment in aviation safety, modern technology and the infrastructure that keeps aircraft operating safely within Nigeria’s airspace.
“At a time when the aviation industry requires professionalism, technical understanding, collaboration and a collective commitment to protecting national assets, it is unfortunate that representatives within a critical aviation institution would advance a position that does not fully appreciate the strategic importance, security sensitivity and international obligations associated with Air Navigation Services,” the unions said.
They maintained that NAMA was created as a strategic national institution, not a profit-making enterprise, and therefore should not be evaluated solely on commercial considerations.
According to the statement, the agency is responsible for managing Nigeria’s sovereign airspace through critical systems such as Aeronautical Information Management, aeronautical databases, flight procedures, communication, navigation and surveillance facilities, as well as other infrastructure that enables the safe movement of aircraft.
The unions argued that maintaining these systems requires continuous investment in modern technology, technical manpower and infrastructure, adding that any discussion about NAMA’s finances must reflect the enormous responsibilities it shoulders daily.
“Nigeria’s airspace is a sovereign national asset. The safety of millions of passengers must never be subjected to poorly considered policy experiments. NAMA is not for sale. Nigeria’s airspace is not for sale. Safety is not negotiable.
“The workers also urged the Federal Government to ensure that revenues generated from aviation activities are reinvested exclusively in the aviation sector, particularly in the modernisation of Communication, Navigation, Surveillance and Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) facilities,” the statement read.
They warned that weakening the country’s air navigation service provider through inadequate funding or policy decisions could expose critical operational systems to unnecessary risks, with far-reaching implications for national security and passenger safety.
According to the unions, protecting Nigeria’s airspace goes beyond aviation operations and should be regarded as a national security responsibility requiring sustained government investment.
They reiterated their support for increasing NAMA’s share of the Ticket Service Charge to 40 per cent, insisting that the proposal is aimed at strengthening safety oversight rather than creating competition among aviation agencies.
The workers also commended the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, for his efforts to reposition the aviation sector and urged him to sustain policies that would strengthen key aviation institutions and enhance the safety of the nation’s airspace.
